With the New START treaty set to expire on February 5, 2026, global security analysts are raising alarms after former U.S. President Donald Trump signaled willingness to let the last U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control agreement lapse. The 2011 pact currently limits both nations to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and 700 delivery systems.
Trump told The New York Times this week he would reject Moscow's proposal to maintain existing limits, stating: "If it expires, it expires. We'll do a better agreement – maybe include a couple other players." His comments come five years after Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-U.S. President Joe Biden extended the treaty through early 2026.
The potential expiration would mark the first time since 1972 that the world's two largest nuclear powers operate without mutual constraints. Arms control experts warn this could destabilize global security frameworks, particularly given Trump's suggestion to involve unspecified additional nations in future negotiations.
While Putin proposed a voluntary continuation of treaty terms last September, the lack of binding verification mechanisms raises concerns about strategic transparency. The development comes as multiple Asian nations monitor implications for regional security architectures.
