Donald Trump has called for the US to "greatly strengthen and expand" its nuclear arsenal, BBC reports. The president-elect, who takes office next month, said the US must take such action "until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes". He spoke hours after President Vladimir Putin said Russia needs to bolster its military nuclear potential.
The US has 7,100 nuclear weapons and Russia has 7,300, according to the US nonpartisan Arms Control Association.
Trump's announcement, which came via Twitter, was published in a string of several tweets on Thursday morning.
Trump also wrote to criticise a resolution being considered at the UN and to reiterate his vow to "drain the swamp" - a reference to corruption in Washington DC.  His tweet came only hours after President Putin met with his military advisers to recap Russian military activities in 2016.
During Trump's campaign he referred to nuclear proliferation as the "single biggest problem" facing the world, but also said he could not rule out using nuclear weapons against Europe.  
She mocked him by saying "a man who can be provoked by a tweet should not have his fingers anywhere near the nuclear codes."