Overview
- With New START now lapsed, the United States and Russia are left without binding limits or on‑site verification for strategic arsenals for the first time in decades.
- At the UN Conference on Disarmament, U.S. official Thomas DiNanno alleged China conducted an explosive test on June 22, 2020 and used 'decoupling' techniques to hinder seismic detection.
- The CTBTO said its network detected no event consistent with a nuclear test on that date and noted its approximate 500‑ton TNT detection threshold for underground blasts.
- Beijing rejected the accusations as false, reiterated its testing moratorium and no‑first‑use policy, and said it will not join trilateral disarmament negotiations at this stage.
- The Kremlin said Washington and Moscow support starting new talks after consultations in Abu Dhabi, as President Trump presses for a modernized pact and Russia signals any deal should also consider other nuclear states such as the UK and France.