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With New START Gone, U.S. and Russia Restart High-Level Military Talks

The lapse ends inspections, increasing uncertainty over the superpowers’ arsenals.

Overview

  • The treaty expired on Feb. 5 after President Donald Trump declined Russia’s one-year extension offer and pushed to include China in any successor framework.
  • With the accord no longer in force, there are no binding limits, on-site inspections or mandatory data exchanges on strategic warheads and launch systems.
  • Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia will keep to the former limits only if the United States does the same, describing a conditional approach.
  • Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov rules out unilateral concessions and Moscow signals any future talks should also account for France and the United Kingdom.
  • The United Nations and NATO warn of heightened nuclear risks as Washington and Moscow agree to restore senior military-to-military contacts to manage strategic stability.