New START Treaty Expires, US Criticizes China

The New START treaty, the last nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, expired on February 5. A senior US official, Thomas G. DiNanno, criticized the treaty for its flaws, particularly its failure to include China. Former US President Donald Trump had previously expressed a desire for a 'better agreement' and did not follow up on Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to extend the treaty. China has stated it will not join nuclear talks at this stage, raising concerns among campaigners that the treaty's expiration could encourage China to expand its nuclear arsenal. The United States and Russia collectively possess over 80% of the world's nuclear warheads. The expiration of New START, which limited deployed strategic warheads, has fueled fears of a new global arms race.