News|Nuclear WeaponsRussia criticises US as final nuclear warhead treaty set to expireExperts have warned that the expiry of the US-Russia New START treaty could spark a fresh nuclear arms race.
Russia has announced that it will no longer adhere to the limitations on the number of nuclear warheads it can deploy, following the expiration of the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the United States.
Russia has announced that it will no longer adhere to the limitations on the number of nuclear warheads it can deploy, following the expiration of the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the United States.
The New START treaty, signed in 2010, is scheduled to expire on Thu, Feb 3, 2026. This treaty, officially known as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, places limits on the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons. These are weapons intended to target an adversary's key political, military, and industrial centers. Deployed weapons or warheads refer to those in active service and ready for rapid use, as opposed to those held in storage or awaiting dismantlement.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that, with the treaty's expiration, the obligations under the New START treaty are no longer applicable. Moscow has indicated that both Russia and the United States will be able to increase missile numbers and deploy additional strategic warheads, though this process presents logistical challenges and will require time.
The New START treaty, signed in 2010, is scheduled to expire on Thu, Feb 3, 2026.
Despite the treaty's expiration, there have been indications of interest in negotiating a new agreement to manage nuclear weapons. The previous New START agreement was a 10-year pact, which came into effect in 2011, signed by former US President Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, who was then serving as Russia’s president.
Security experts have expressed concerns that the end of the New START treaty could lead to a new arms race, potentially exacerbated by China's increasing nuclear capabilities. Without the treaty, both Russia and the United States could potentially double the size of their deployed arsenals by adding hundreds of additional warheads to their missiles and bombers.
As the treaty's expiration approached, calls were made by international figures to maintain the established limits and to foster cooperation for the common good.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.