Trump at summit with Central Asian presidents: 'I think denuclearization would be a great thing'
The president held an unprecedented meeting with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Donald Trump, accompanied by his cabinet, at a meeting with Central Asian leaders
At an unprecedented summit with several Central Asian leaders, U.S. President Donald Trump surprisingly and clearly addressed the risk of nuclear war, clearly advocating for denuclearization.
"I think that denuclearization would be a great thing. We could blow up the world 150 times. There's no need for this. I’ve spoken to President Putin about it, I've spoken to President Xi about it — and everybody would like to spend all of that money on other things," the president said.
The meeting, held in Washington, brought Trump together with the presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, in a sign of the White House's interest in strengthening cooperation with the former Soviet republics of Central Asia.
.@POTUS: "I think that denuclearization would be a great thing. We could blow up the world 150 times. There's no need for this. I’ve spoken to President Putin about it, I've spoken to President Xi about it — and everybody would like to spend all of that money on other things." pic.twitter.com/0QCX2IitPr
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 7, 2025
The comment, as historians may recall, comes in a highly symbolic context, for Kazakhstan was one of the countries most affected by Soviet nuclear testing during the Cold War, a horror that subsequently led to that nation's voluntary disarmament.
Kazakhstan and the terrifying legacy of the "Polygon"
More than 450 nuclear devices were reportedly detonated there, leaving terrible environmental and health consequences that still linger in that part of Kazakhstan.
The area, comparable in size to Belgium, was for four decades the epicenter of Soviet atomic testing. In fact, after the dissolution of the USSR, Kazakhstan inherited one of the largest nuclear arsenals on the planet, with more than a hundred missiles and about 1,200 warheads. However, in a historic gesture, the country, recognizing the horror experienced by its inhabitants, voluntarily renounced all its nuclear weapons on August 29, 1991, when then President Nursultan Nazarbayev decreed the definitive closure of the Semipalatinsk test site. Months later, the nation proclaimed its independence.
Various praise for Trump
During the meeting with Central Asian leaders, Trump received praise from the leaders present. Uzbekistan's president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, called him "the president of the world."
Kazakh President Kasym-Khomart Tokayev called him a "statesman."
"You are the great leader, statesman, sent by Heaven to bring commonsense and traditions that we all share and value back... Millions of people in so many countries are so grateful to you."
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More countries in the Abraham Accords?
Earlier, before the meeting, President Trump had confirmed Kazakhstan's accession to the Abraham Accords-originally signed in 2020 between Israel, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and later extended to other countries-now adding a new member in Central Asia.
However, it may not be the only one, given that Trump assured that more nations are interested in joining and promised to announce new additions soon.
"Today, more Nations are lining up to embrace Peace and Prosperity through my Abraham Accords. We will soon announce a Signing Ceremony to make it official, and there are many more Countries trying to join this club of STRENGTH. So much more to come in uniting Countries for Stability and Growth — Real progress, real results. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!"
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