President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on Thursday about the coronavirus pandemic and a potential three-country arms control deal with China.
“President Trump reiterated his hope of avoiding an expensive three-way arms race between China, Russia, and the United States and looked forward to progress on upcoming arms control negotiations in Vienna,” the White House said in a readout.
The leaders last spoke in May with a similar roster of topics.
Arms control talks between the US and Russia began in late June in Vienna.
Trump wants a grand deal that limits rising military costs, including to maintain nuclear weapon stockpiles.
Although tensions are high between China and the US — as Trump blasts China for failing to contain COVID-19 —the president has long mused about a three-nation arms treaty.
Trump sprang the idea on Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in the Oval Office last year, asking for his thoughts on a new pact to reduce “ridiculous” weapons spending. “I think it is a very good idea,” Liu said.
The US leads the world in diagnosed COVID-19 cases, with about 4 million. Russia has the fourth-most cases at almost 800,000. The US and Russia have exchanged medical supplies during the pandemic.
It was not clear if there was a specific impetus for the call. When Trump and Putin spoke in May, they marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
