New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START)

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between Russia and the United States has reached its expiration, adding that the two countries are no longer operating under the framework of the agreement.

About the New START Treaty

Signed in 2010, the New START treaty was designed to limit the number of deployed nuclear warheads and their delivery systems—including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers—held by the two nuclear powers.

The treaty entered into force on February 5, 2011, for an initial duration of 10 years and was subsequently extended until February 5, 2026.

Russia’s Post-Expiration Position

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in September 2025 that Russia would continue to observe the treaty’s core limits for one year after its expiration, on the condition that the United States refrains from actions that could undermine the strategic balance.

Significance

The expiration of New START marks the end of the last remaining bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between Russia and the US, raising concerns about the future of strategic stability and arms control between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.