The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that parties to the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between Russia and the United States are no longer obligated under the deal. Russia has not received a formal response from the US regarding extending voluntary restraint on nuclear arms beyond the treaty’s February 5 expiration.
The Ministry emphasized that in the absence of a formal response, the parties are free to choose their next steps without being bound by any obligations or symmetrical declarations of the Treaty. Russia remains prepared to take military-technical measures to address potential threats to national security.
The New START treaty, signed in 2010, aims to limit deployed nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles. Initially valid for 10 years, the treaty was extended to February 5, 2026. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that Russia would adhere to the treaty’s core limits for a year post-expiration if the US maintains strategic balance.
US President Donald Trump, in January, expressed optimism about reaching a new agreement despite the treaty’s impending expiration. This treaty is the sole arms control agreement between the two countries following the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019.
