World Faces New Nuclear Uncertainty as Key US-Russia Treaty Nears End

Post by : Saif

Russia has issued a strong warning about growing global risks as the New START nuclear arms control treaty approaches its expiry. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said the world should be alarmed if the agreement ends without a replacement, as it would remove limits on nuclear weapons held by the two largest nuclear powers.

The New START treaty was signed in 2010 by the United States and Russia. It placed strict caps on the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads, limiting each side to 1,550. The agreement also allowed inspections, helping both countries monitor each other’s actions and reduce mistrust.

The treaty is set to expire on February 5, and Russian officials say they have not received an official response from Washington on a proposal to extend the current limits for another year. If the agreement ends fully, there would be no formal restrictions on nuclear arsenals between the two nations for the first time since the early 1970s.

Medvedev said that while the treaty’s expiry does not automatically mean nuclear war, it is still a dangerous signal. He explained that arms control agreements are important not only to limit weapons but also to maintain communication and trust between powerful countries. Without such agreements, the risk of misunderstanding and escalation increases.

For many decades, arms control treaties helped prevent major conflicts during tense periods of global rivalry. Medvedev noted that throughout most of his lifetime, there was always some form of nuclear agreement or ongoing talks between Washington and Moscow. He warned that the absence of any agreement shows that trust has sharply declined.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is willing to let the treaty expire, suggesting that a new and better deal could be negotiated later. However, security experts fear that allowing the treaty to lapse without a clear replacement could trigger a new arms race and increase global instability.

Russia suspended its participation in the treaty in 2023, citing U.S. support for Ukraine in the ongoing war. Even so, both sides largely continued to follow the treaty’s limits. A full expiration could remove even this informal restraint.

As global tensions rise and old security systems weaken, the future of nuclear arms control remains uncertain. Many fear that without clear rules and mutual oversight, the world could enter a more dangerous and unpredictable phase.

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