Russia revealed on Wednesday that it is no longer bound by the restrictions imposed on the number of nuclear warheads under the bilateral New START treaty, which is supposed to expire on Thursday after the failure of the administration of US President Donald Trump to pursue negotiations. Moscow pledged to act "responsibly" with the expiration of the last nuclear treaty binding it with the United States, in a move that raised fears of a new arms race.

Published on: 05/02/2026 - 04:45

Russia said on Wednesday that it no longer considers itself "bound" by the New START nuclear treaty concluded with the United States, which expires on Thursday, opening an ambiguous phase amid fears of the start of a new arms race.

A statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow believes that the parties to the treaty “are no longer bound by any mutual pledges or declarations within the framework of New START.”

However, Russia previously stressed that it would continue to act “wisely and responsibly” in the nuclear field.

The New START Treaty, signed in 2010, is the last existing arms control agreement between Washington and Moscow, as it set a ceiling for each party of 800 launch pads and heavy bombers and 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads, with a special mechanism for verification.

The end of the treaty means a transition to a less disciplined nuclear regime, noting that inspections have been suspended since 2023 following the large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022.

The Russian President's diplomatic advisor, Yuri Ushakov, indicated that Vladimir Putin confirmed during a conversation on Wednesday with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Moscow "will act wisely and responsibly in this situation."

Ushakov added that Russia "remains open to seeking ways to negotiate and ensure strategic stability."

Read also: Russia urges “extreme caution” regarding nuclear threats following Trump’s orders to deploy two nuclear submarines

On the other hand, Washington is very cautious about declaring its intentions at this stage.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that he does not have an "announcement" currently, explaining that US President Donald Trump will make his position "later" without specifying a date.

Rubio explained that the United States seeks to involve China in any future discussions.

He told reporters, "The president has been clear in the past that achieving true arms control in the 21st century cannot be achieved without involving China, given its vast and rapidly growing stockpile."

On Tuesday, the Kremlin expressed its concern about the repercussions of the end of the treaty, warning that the world may find itself “in a more dangerous situation than before.”

"Logic of fear"

In the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV called on Wednesday to “prevent a new arms race” in light of the end of “New START.”

The Pope stressed, saying, “I strongly urge you not to abandon this tool without ensuring a concrete and effective follow-up to it,” considering that “it has become more urgent to replace the logic of fear and mistrust with a common ethics.”

Berlin also expressed its concern about the Russian position, and held Moscow responsible for the collapse of the treaty.

France, as the only nuclear power in the European Union, also called on the United States, Russia and China to work for a new international arms control regime.

The French Foreign Ministry believed that the end of New START means "the disappearance of any extent to the world's largest nuclear arsenals for the first time since the Cold War," holding Russia responsible for this decline.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) also called on Moscow and Washington to publicly pledge to respect the limits of the treaty “until a new framework is reached.”

“The risk is real that a new arms race between the United States and Russia — more warheads, delivery vehicles, and nuclear maneuvers — will accelerate, prompting other nuclear powers to try to catch up,” the campaign's executive director, Melissa Park, said in a statement.

In September 2025, Putin had proposed to Washington to extend the terms of the treaty for one year, an initiative that his American counterpart described as a “good idea,” but the United States did not follow through.

The United States previously withdrew in 2019 from a major disarmament treaty concluded in 1987 with Russia regarding intermediate-range nuclear missiles.

France 24/AFP

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