On Thursday, February 5, the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty between Russia and the United States (START-3) will end, beginning the era of “nuclear arms control.” The Financial Times wrote about this.
The FT called the prospects for future negotiations to extend the treaty “grim” and noted that repealing New START could usher in a new era of “nuclear brinkmanship between major powers.”
“I sincerely believe that we are now on the threshold of a new arms race. I don't think there will be another arms control treaty in my lifetime,” said British scholar and academic James Acton.
Additionally, one of the US officials told the FT about Trump's desire to maintain restrictions on nuclear weapons and include China in the negotiations. The newspaper suggested that at the last minute Trump may agree to comply with START III regulations.
On January 29, Press Secretary of Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is still waiting for a response from Washington on the extension of New START, and the US has not yet announced its decision. In November 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if the United States does not want to extend New START, “it is not necessary.” Previously, on September 22, Mr. Putin said the Russian government planned to maintain the status quo so as not to provoke an arms race and that Russia was ready to comply with the restrictions for a year after the treaty ended.
Previously, the West warned of a new nuclear race because the New START Treaty was not renewed.
