CHICAGO, Aug 21, 2024 (BSS/TASS) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump could discuss arms control with Russia if he wins the election and makes the US stronger through such measures as building a new missile defense system, his senior campaign adviser Brian Hughes said.

"President Trump believes in peace through strength," the adviser told TASS, when asked if the presidential contender is interested in new arms-control deals with Russia. "He has talked frequently about one of the most important things to make a stronger nation is to do the missile defense system that has been talked about for decades. Do it in a way that protects the American people and is built at home and makes us stronger."

"When you get to a stronger position in the world, you can then start to evaluate arms levels, the armament levels that you're talking about, but you can't start that discussion today with America in such a weak position," he continued. "So, the first thing that has to happen in the geopolitical realm is for American strength to be recognized again. And it's just not happening under Biden - Harris."

Asked if Trump would be interested in signing potential arms-control deals with just Russia or would also seek to get China onboard, Hughes replied: "We're not going to negotiate treaties today, as I'm saying. I mean, before you can get to a position of having discussions like that, you have to get to a place where the America is once again respected on the global scene, and that is just not going to happen with Biden - Harris.".