Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country is working on producing strategic weapons and may soon announce a new weapon in its nuclear arsenal, indicating that the global nuclear arms race has already begun.

Putin stated today, Friday, at the conclusion of a summit of former Soviet states in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, that “the development of our nuclear deterrent systems is higher than that of any other nuclear state.” He added, “We are actively developing all of this,” but did not provide details about the new weapons he referred to.

When asked if Moscow intends to test a nuclear weapon if the United States does so, he said some countries are considering nuclear tests, and that his country is also prepared to do so.

Putin confirmed that “it would not be a big deal” if the United States refrains from extending the New START treaty limiting nuclear weapons, which expires next year.

US President Donald Trump had recently expressed his readiness to maintain the treaty between Washington and Moscow after Putin proposed extending it for one year.

The treaty aims to limit the spread of offensive nuclear weapons in both countries by keeping intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear warheads below the agreed cap.

The treaty, signed in 2010, limits the number of deployed nuclear warheads for each side to 1,550 warheads and 800 deployed and non-deployed ballistic missile launchers and heavy bombers.

Last January, Trump expressed his desire for nuclear disarmament through negotiations with Moscow and Beijing, and also requested the Pentagon to develop a large and ambitious US missile defense system known as the “Golden Dome.”