End of an Era: The Expiry of the New START Treaty

The Kremlin announced on Thursday that Russia would uphold its commitment to strategic nuclear stability, even as the last nuclear arms control treaty with the United States has expired. The New START treaty, which imposed limits on nuclear arsenals, ended on Thursday, marking the closure of a significant chapter in nuclear arms control.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the treaty would cease to be effective at the end of the day. Despite hopes for a voluntary one-year extension to facilitate discussions on a successor treaty, the U.S. has not formally responded to Russia's proposal, leaving the future uncertain.

Peskov expressed regret over the treaty's expiration, which was also a topic of discussion in a recent call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Moving forward, Russia intends to maintain a responsible approach to nuclear stability, prioritizing its national interests.