Overview
- New START is set to lapse on February 5, 2026, removing the last bilateral limits on U.S. and Russian strategic offensive weapons.
- Dmitriy Peskov warned that losing such agreements would create serious dangers for global strategic stability and security.
- The Kremlin said the topic has been mentioned with Washington but has not advanced into substantive talks.
- Vladimir Putin has indicated Russia could continue observing the treaty’s quantitative ceilings for one year after expiration, contingent on the broader context of relations with the United States.
- Independent expert Alexander Stepanov called for shifting the dialogue to a United Nations Security Council format involving all nuclear-armed states.