The primary purpose of SALT I negotiations was to address which issue between the USSR and the United States?

The primary purpose of SALT I negotiations, which took place in the early 1970s, was indeed focused on nuclear arms limitations between the United States and the Soviet Union. SALT I, or the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, aimed to curtail the arms race by placing restrictions on the number of nuclear weapons and delivery systems that both superpowers could possess. The negotiations culminated in two key agreements: the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, which limited missile defense systems, and the Interim Agreement on Strategic Offensive Arms, which froze the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).

These negotiations marked a significant step towards strategic stability during the Cold War, reflecting the desire from both sides to prevent the escalation of tensions and the possibility of nuclear conflict. In contrast, the other options—trade tariffs, military alliances, and space exploration—were not the central focus of SALT I, as the immediate concern of the era was the potential for nuclear war and the need for arms control.