Russia Warns of Global Risks as New START Treaty Nears Expiration

Moscow Urges Washington to Respond on New START Extension

Moscow: The Kremlin today reiterated its offer to the United States for a one-year extension of the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, warning that its imminent expiration could place the world in a “more dangerous situation.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin’s proposal remains valid, noting that Washington has yet to respond. He warned that the approaching deadline, set for Thursday, could have serious global security implications.

“In a few days, the world will likely be in a more dangerous situation than it has been so far,” Peskov told Russian news agencies.

The New START treaty, signed in 2010, is regarded as a cornerstone of post–Cold War arms control. It limits each side to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and 800 delivery systems. Russia suspended its participation in the treaty in 2023, one year after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, citing obstacles to on-site verification inspections, while maintaining its commitment to adhere to the treaty’s core limits.

The current stalemate reflects broader disagreements over the future of global arms control. The United States has maintained that any future negotiations should include China, citing the rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal. Peskov rejected this position, arguing that China’s nuclear capabilities are not comparable to those of Russia and the United States and therefore should not be a determining factor in bilateral talks.

Instead, Russia has emphasized the need to take into account the nuclear capabilities of US allies in Europe. Peskov stated that any future framework for strategic stability must consider the nuclear arsenals of Britain and France, reiterating a long-standing position expressed by President Putin.

With the treaty’s expiration drawing near and no response yet from Washington, the future of the last remaining bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the world’s two largest nuclear powers remains uncertain.