Overview

• Speaking at the Valdai forum on October 2, Vladimir Putin said Russia would observe New START limits for one year after expiration only if Washington does the same.
• Putin noted there are voices in the United States rejecting an extension and said Russia would likewise forgo it if the U.S. is uninterested.
• He stated he knows what would follow during that one-year period if the U.S. agrees, while the path beyond that remains unclear.
• The New START treaty is scheduled to lapse in February 2026, leaving the longer-term arms control framework unsettled.
• Russian officials say the proposal awaits a U.S. decision, and there has been no public response from Washington.