Trump rules out sending ground forces to Iran and confirms his rejection of the nuclear option

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US President Donald Trump said that he rules out the deployment of ground forces in Iran, stressing at the same time that he will not use nuclear weapons against Tehran.

In an interview with Newsmax, Trump also said that the United States is holding talks with both Russia and China regarding nuclear disarmament, expressing his hope to achieve a reduction in the nuclear arsenals of the countries that possess the largest stockpiles of these weapons.

Trump added that he expects China to "catch up" with the United States in nuclear capabilities within the next five years, noting that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the nuclear disarmament issue.

His statements come months after the expiration of the New START Treaty to limit strategic arms, which was signed in 2010 and extended by former US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin for five years.

Regarding the Ukrainian file, Trump described Kiev's resumption of its strikes on Russian oil refineries as a "shameful matter," considering that these attacks contribute to the rise in global energy prices.

The US President also criticized his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, saying that he finds dealing with him "more difficult" than dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he stressed his belief that both sides want to end the war.

Trump's statements came after Zelensky announced the resumption of strikes on Russian oil refineries, and accused Moscow of not adhering to the cessation of attacks on energy facilities that Trump had previously announced.