New START Expires as U.S. and Russia Explore Short-Term Extension

Overview

• The U.S.–Russia New START treaty expired on February 5, leaving—for the first time in roughly 50 years—no legally binding limits on their deployed strategic forces.
• The pact’s caps of 1,550 deployed warheads per side and 800 total strategic launchers, along with mutual on‑site verification, are no longer in force after inspections had already been halted since Russia’s 2023 suspension.
• UN Secretary‑General António Guterres called the expiration a grave moment for international peace and security, and NATO urged restraint and responsibility.
• Axios reported that hours after the lapse, Washington and Moscow were discussing a stopgap arrangement to continue observing New START terms, and President Donald Trump said talks to renew the accord were underway during meetings in Abu Dhabi.
• Prospects for a replacement are complicated by Washington’s push to include China in future frameworks and Beijing’s refusal to join negotiations at this stage.