Trump Lets New START Expire; Putin's Extension Rebuffed
New START expired on Jan. 5, ending limits of 1,550 deployed warheads and 700 delivery systems.
Overview
President Donald Trump allowed the New START treaty to expire on Jan. 5, removing numerical caps of 1,550 deployed warheads and 700 launchers, U.S. and Russian officials confirmed.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, warned the lapse could trigger a years-long arms race involving the United States, Russia and China, heightening risks of nuclear proliferation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regretted the Jan. 5 expiration and would act "in a balanced and responsible manner," while adviser Yuri Ushakov said President Vladimir Putin discussed extension offers with Xi Jinping, officials said.
New START's verification regime, including up to 18 on-site inspections annually, has been largely dormant since 2020, and SIPRI records show global nuclear inventories exceed 12,200 warheads.
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social he wants a new, three-way treaty including China, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected joining talks and U.S. and Russian officials agreed to reestablish military-to-military contacts, records show.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a stability crisis, emphasizing risks of an unconstrained arms race by foregrounding official regrets and expert warnings while juxtaposing U.S. calls for a new pact with Russia’s caution. Editorial choices stress threat and diplomatic tension through selective emphasis on government statements, historical context, and arms-control advocates’ alarm.
Sources (7)
FAQ
The treaty limited each side to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and 700 deployed delivery systems such as missiles and bombers.
New START was set for 10 years from 2011 with a one-time five-year extension, expiring on February 5, 2026, and no new agreement was reached despite proposals.
It ends verification and transparency, potentially sparking a nuclear arms race, increasing risks of miscalculation, and undermining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Trump allowed expiration, called New START poorly negotiated, and advocated for a new trilateral treaty including China instead of extension.
Russia expressed regret, proposed a one-year extension without verification which was rebuffed, and committed to balanced, responsible actions.
History
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