New START Treaty Expires; US Seeks Broader Arms Control
Analysis based on 8 articles · First reported Feb 06, 2026 · Last updated Feb 06, 2026
The expiration of the New START treaty and the subsequent call for a new, broader arms control agreement by the United States introduces uncertainty in global security, potentially affecting defense sector investments. The lack of agreement with China and Russia's conditional openness to multilateral talks suggest ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The New START treaty, which capped strategic nuclear weapons deployments for the United States and Russia, expired on Thursday. The United States, through Under Secretary of State Thomas DiNanno, has called for a new arms control agreement, arguing that a bilateral treaty is insufficient given threats from multiple nuclear powers, specifically mentioning China. President Donald Trump has expressed a clear desire for China to be included in a new nuclear reduction deal. Russia had proposed a one-year extension of New START to allow for discussions on a successor treaty, but the United States declined. China's ambassador on disarmament, Shen Jian, stated that China would not participate in new negotiations with Moscow and Washington, citing its significantly smaller nuclear arsenal. DiNanno also claimed that China has conducted and concealed nuclear explosive tests and is on track to possess over 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, with Russia's support. Russia's ambassador, Gennady Gatilov, expressed regret over the United States' decision but indicated Russia's openness to multilateral discussions if the United Kingdom and France are involved.
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