The New START Treaty, which limits the world's largest nuclear arsenal, officially expired on February 5, 2026, and Russia has not received any official response from the US regarding the extension, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release on February 4.
Russia will be ready to respond decisively to potential threats, but will still open the door to dialogue after the remaining final strategic arms control agreement with the US expires, the statement added.
In September last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly made a temporary proposal, proposing to continue to comply with the arms limits of the treaty for another year after it expires on February 5, on the condition that the US responds similarly.
Our opinions have been deliberately ignored," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Moscow now believes that "the parties to the New START Treaty are no longer bound by any obligations or symmetrical declarations," the statement added.
At the same time, Moscow is still ready to seek political and diplomatic measures to "comprehensively stabilize the strategic situation on the basis of equal and mutually beneficial dialogue solutions," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The New START Treaty, signed in 2010 between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and US President Barack Obama, has limited each side's nuclear arsenal to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads deployed and 800 missile launchers, while stipulating monitoring mechanisms for both Russia and the US's arsenals.
Russia suspended the verification mechanisms of the treaty in 2023, citing Ukraine's attacks on Russia's nuclear deterrents and accusing the West of actively interfering.
Meanwhile, the expiration of the New START Treaty will leave the world's two largest nuclear superpowers without any limits to their nuclear arsenal.
Last week, the Nuclear Science Bulletin moved the "Apocalyptic Clock" closer by more than 5 seconds towards midnight, and warned of an imminent "all-out arms race" between major powers.
