Russia has effectively dropped its commitments under the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the US, leaving the world's two largest atomic arsenals largely unbridled as the treaty expires. The New START treaty, signed in 2010, limits the number of nuclear warheads that can be deployed by Russia and the US, but it will expire on Thursday without a new extension.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that the US had not responded to President Vladimir Putin's proposal to extend the treaty for another 12 months, effectively ending its obligations. The ministry claimed that the US approach was "mistaken and regrettable." New START limits the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons, with deployed or active warheads available for rapid use.
The treaty has been a crucial constraint on the world's largest nuclear arsenals, but its expiration marks a significant shift in global security dynamics. As it ends, Russia and the US will be free to increase their missile numbers and deploy hundreds more strategic warheads, posing challenges for both nations. This could fuel fears of a new arms race, with experts warning that China is also expanding its nuclear arsenal.
The expiration of New START comes as tensions between Russia and the US remain high. The US had initially supported extending the treaty, but President Donald Trump's administration has since expressed skepticism about its continued relevance. With the end of the treaty, there are fears of a new arms race unfolding gradually for some time now, including in China.
Security experts warn that this marks a significant turning point, with potentially disastrous consequences if left unchecked. The US and Russia bear a disproportionate share of global nuclear weapons, accounting for more than 90% of all nuclear warheads. As the clock ticks towards the treaty's expiry, world leaders are urging caution, with Pope Leo appealing for restraint and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling for urgent negotiations on new arms control frameworks.
As the world teeters on the brink of a new era of nuclear uncertainty, diplomats and security experts must navigate this complex landscape to prevent a catastrophic return to an unregulated arms race. The fate of global peace and security hangs in the balance, as the US and Russia are now free to pursue their own nuclear agendas without constraints.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that the US had not responded to President Vladimir Putin's proposal to extend the treaty for another 12 months, effectively ending its obligations. The ministry claimed that the US approach was "mistaken and regrettable." New START limits the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons, with deployed or active warheads available for rapid use.
The treaty has been a crucial constraint on the world's largest nuclear arsenals, but its expiration marks a significant shift in global security dynamics. As it ends, Russia and the US will be free to increase their missile numbers and deploy hundreds more strategic warheads, posing challenges for both nations. This could fuel fears of a new arms race, with experts warning that China is also expanding its nuclear arsenal.
The expiration of New START comes as tensions between Russia and the US remain high. The US had initially supported extending the treaty, but President Donald Trump's administration has since expressed skepticism about its continued relevance. With the end of the treaty, there are fears of a new arms race unfolding gradually for some time now, including in China.
Security experts warn that this marks a significant turning point, with potentially disastrous consequences if left unchecked. The US and Russia bear a disproportionate share of global nuclear weapons, accounting for more than 90% of all nuclear warheads. As the clock ticks towards the treaty's expiry, world leaders are urging caution, with Pope Leo appealing for restraint and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling for urgent negotiations on new arms control frameworks.
As the world teeters on the brink of a new era of nuclear uncertainty, diplomats and security experts must navigate this complex landscape to prevent a catastrophic return to an unregulated arms race. The fate of global peace and security hangs in the balance, as the US and Russia are now free to pursue their own nuclear agendas without constraints.
I'm getting super anxious about this whole thing... like, what's next? 
We already have enough going on with climate change and pandemics, do we really need to worry about another global catastrophe? 
The thought of the US and Russia just doing their own nuclear thing without any oversight is giving me PTSD. 
Hasn't our world been through enough? 
Can't we just get along and have some peace for once? 
It's like, I get it, security is important, but can't we find a way to balance that with being human and caring about the planet? 
. But at the same time, I'm really worried about the implications of this treaty ending 
... what if it sparks an arms race and we end up with more nuclear warheads than ever? 
It's like, how can we balance progress with caution? 
world gonna end up like that crazy movie, I mean, all these nukes just floating around... it's insane. I think we should just sit back & watch how this all plays out. Both sides are probably just trying to one-up each other anyway. China's got its own nuclear plans going on so who knows? 
, and we're all just waiting for someone to make a wrong move... 
we need some kind of agreement ASAP or else who knows what could happen? 
just think about it, we're living in a world where 2 superpowers have basically decided to play a game of nuclear chicken 
. And with the US and Russia already having the largest number of nuclear warheads, you can only imagine how devastating an arms race would be 
.
. I'm not sure what the solution is, but it can't come soon enough 
. This whole situation feels like a ticking time bomb, just waiting to go off 
– we need to find a way to defuse it ASAP!
. The thought of those two big atomic arsenals just roaming free is terrifying 
before it's too late! The fate of global peace and security is literally hanging by a thread 
...
instead of better 
gotta stay hopeful tho 
can we jus keep tryin 4 a little bit of peace & security? 
what's going on with these 2 superpowers? can't we all just get along 
& have some kind of arms control in place? news like this makes me worry that we're heading back to the cold war era 
& it's not just about nuclear warheads, it's the entire security dynamics thing... what if china joins in on this arms race too? 
i mean, pope leo saying restraint is key one thing we can all agree on 
Can't let this be the start of some nuclear war 
. I mean, can't they see how this is gonna affect everyone else? It's not just the US and Russia, China's getting in on that too... 
Those security experts are right, we gotta be careful here. Can't let things get outta hand 
this is crazy news! If Russia and the US just let loose with more missiles, it could be a total disaster 
Putin's gonna regret this 
world leaders need to step in ASAP 
global peace and security on the line, yeah let's get to it 
! "The world's two largest atomic arsenals largely unbridled" sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, doesn't it? 
!