Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev signed the New Start Treaty in 2010.Image: keystone
The New Start nuclear weapons treaty between the USA and Russia expires today as the last major agreement on nuclear disarmament.
05.02.2026, 05:5205.02.2026, 05:52
Until recently, Washington had not responded to Russia’s proposal to adhere to the established upper limits for another year, said Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy spokesman Yuri Ushakov in Moscow. This was reported by the state news agency Tass.
Under the given circumstances, Moscow assumes that the contracting parties are no longer bound by the obligations of the treaty and are fundamentally free to choose their next steps, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
New Start was agreed in 2010 and envisaged limiting arsenals to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and 700 operational delivery systems for each side. US President Donald Trump recently said at the end of the treaty: “We will simply make a better agreement.”
Peace Researcher: New Phase of Increased Dangers
However, many experts fear that without New Start (New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) there could be a new nuclear arms race. “The expiry of the New Start Treaty heralds a new phase of increased nuclear danger,” commented Karim Haggag, director of the Stockholm peace research institute Sipri. European heads of state and government should advocate arms control and influence the USA.
Washington is calling for China, which is rapidly building up nuclear power, to be included in a future control system. Beijing has so far rejected this. Moscow also believes this is unnecessary; China’s nuclear potential is still too small. (sda/dpa)