Trump calls for new nuclear arms treaty as New START expires

The last major nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia, known as New START, has officially expired, leaving no legally binding limits on the world's two largest strategic arsenals. In response, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. should pursue a completely new treaty rather than extend what he called a "badly negotiated" and violated agreement.

Trump's statement and rationale

On his social media platform, Trump outlined his administration's position, writing, "Rather than extend 'NEW START' (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future." This stance rejects a simple extension in favor of a complex renegotiation, which experts warn could take years amid current high tensions.

Russian claims and the final days of the treaty

Contradicting the U.S. stance, the Russian Foreign Ministry asserted that Moscow had sought to preserve the treaty's limits. It stated that President Vladimir Putin had proposed maintaining existing caps on strategic weapons for at least one year after the treaty's termination in a September 22 offer, but "no formal US response was received through bilateral channels." With the treaty now lapsed, Russia also announced that parties are no longer bound by its obligations, including crucial verification and inspection regimes.

Historical context and global implications

The New START Treaty was signed in Prague in 2010 and entered into force in 2011, succeeding the START I treaty of 1991. It capped each country's deployed strategic nuclear warheads and included a rigorous system of mutual inspections and data exchanges. Its expiration marks the end of over five decades of continuous, formal nuclear arms control between the superpowers, ushering in a period of strategic uncertainty. The collapse of the treaty raises concerns about a potential new nuclear arms race, as both nations are free to expand their arsenals without transparency.