Putin Calls on US to Respect New START as Nuclear Pact Nears 2026 Expiry

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday vowed that Moscow will continue to honor nuclear arms limits for an additional year after the landmark New START treaty with the United States expires in February 2026. Addressing Russia's Security Council, Putin warned that abandoning the pact could destabilize global security and called on Washington to similarly respect the treaty's restrictions.

The Last Line of Nuclear Control

The New START treaty, signed in 2010 and enforced from 2011, stands as the final arms control agreement binding the world's two largest nuclear powers. It caps deployed strategic nuclear warheads at 1,550 and limits deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles, and heavy bombers to 700, with a combined ceiling of 800 on deployed and non-deployed launchers. Verification measures-including inspections, data exchanges, and notifications-have ensured transparency and maintained decades of strategic stability.

A Fragile Pact in Peril

Despite these safeguards, cracks have appeared. In February 2023, Russia suspended inspections and reporting, though it promised to abide by the numerical limits. Analysts warn that if the treaty lapses without a successor, the United States and Russia would face the first era in decades without binding constraints on their nuclear arsenals-a scenario fraught with risk, mistrust, and the specter of escalation.

As 2026 approaches, the fate of the New START treaty has become a focal point of global attention. Putin's pledge underscores the urgency for continued dialogue and the critical need to preserve the fragile framework that has so far prevented a nuclear arms race between the world's two most powerful nuclear nations.