The Kremlin said on Thursday that it was disappointed by the lapse of the final remaining nuclear arms control agreement between Russia and the United States, while U.S. President Donald Trump said he opposed extending the treaty’s limits and preferred negotiating a new agreement.
With the treaty now expired, there are no longer any restrictions on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals for the first time in over 50 years, raising concerns about a potential unchecked arms race.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously stated that Russia was willing to continue observing the treaty’s limits for another year if the United States did the same. Trump, however, dismissed the proposal and insisted that China should be included in any new agreement—a position Beijing has rejected.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump argued that instead of extending New START, the U.S. should pursue a stronger and more modern treaty, claiming the existing deal was poorly negotiated and frequently violated.
Putin discussed the treaty’s expiration with Chinese President Xi Jinping, highlighting Washington’s lack of response to Russia’s proposal and stating that Moscow would act carefully and responsibly based on security assessments, according to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia views the treaty’s expiration negatively and regrets its end. He emphasized that Moscow would continue to approach nuclear stability responsibly while prioritizing national interests and expressed willingness to engage in dialogue if the U.S. offers constructive responses.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry added that the country remains prepared to take military and technical measures to counter any emerging threats to its security.
Despite the treaty’s collapse, U.S. and Russian officials agreed to restore high-level military communication channels following talks in Abu Dhabi, according to the U.S. European Command. These channels had been suspended in 2021 as tensions worsened before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
About the treaty:
New START, signed in 2010 by then-U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, limited each side to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 delivery systems such as missiles and bombers. Originally set to expire in 2021, it was extended for five years.
The agreement included on-site inspections to verify compliance, but these stopped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and were never resumed.
In February 2023, Putin suspended Russia’s participation, citing security concerns amid the Ukraine conflict, though Moscow said it would still respect the treaty’s limits. Later, Putin warned that the treaty’s expiration could destabilize global security and increase nuclear proliferation risks.
New START was the last in a series of nuclear arms control agreements between Washington and Moscow, beginning with SALT I in 1972.
Trump’s push to include China:
Trump has said he wants to maintain limits on nuclear weapons but believes China must be part of any future agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this view, saying meaningful arms control in the modern era requires China’s involvement due to its expanding nuclear stockpile.
China, however, has refused to participate, arguing that its nuclear arsenal is far smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia. Chinese officials expressed regret over New START’s expiration and urged the U.S. to resume talks with Moscow, encouraging Washington to accept Russia’s proposal to continue observing the treaty’s limits for now.
Russian officials acknowledged China’s stance and reiterated that any broader nuclear agreement should also include France and the United Kingdom, given their nuclear capabilities.
Arms control experts warned that the treaty’s collapse could trigger a dangerous three-way nuclear buildup. Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association cautioned that if the U.S. increases its deployed nuclear weapons, Russia and China could follow suit, potentially leading to a prolonged and risky nuclear arms competition.
