Putin Extends Russia’s Nuclear Arms Commitment by One Year
On Monday, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow will comply with nuclear arms limits for an additional year under the last existing nuclear agreement with the United States, which is set to expire in February, and called on Washington to do the same. Putin stated that the termination of the 2010 New START would have negative consequences for global stability and could fuel the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
“To avoid provoking a further strategic arms race and to ensure an acceptable level of predictability and restraint, we believe it is justified to try to maintain the status quo established by the New START Treaty during the current, rather turbulent period,” he said. Consequently, Russia is ready to continue complying with the core quantitative restrictions of the New START Treaty for one year following February 5, 2026. Putin stated, “Based on our analysis of the situation, we will subsequently make a decision on maintaining these voluntary self-restraints.” He stated, “Russia expected the US to follow its example and also stick to the treaty’s limits.”
“We believe this measure will only be viable if the United States acts in a similar manner and does not take steps that undermine or disrupt the existing balance of deterrence potentials,” the Russian leader said. Putin instructed Russian agencies to closely monitor relevant American activities, particularly regarding the strategic offensive arms arsenal, with a specific focus on plans to expand the strategic components of the US missile defense system, including preparations for the deployment of interceptors in space. Putin cautioned that the practical implementation of such destabilising actions could undermine our efforts to maintain the status quo in the strategic offensive arms sphere, adding that, in that case, we will respond accordingly. He underscored that Moscow’s adherence to the pact’s limits could play a crucial role in fostering an environment suitable for meaningful strategic dialogue with the US, “provided that other efforts are also taken to normalise bilateral relations.” The New START, signed by then-Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, imposes a cap of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers for each nation. The impending expiration and the absence of discussions regarding a successor agreement have raised concerns among arms control advocates.
The agreement also included extensive on-site inspections to ensure adherence, yet these have remained inactive since 2020. In February 2023, Putin announced the suspension of Moscow’s participation in the treaty, stating that Russia could not permit US inspections of its nuclear sites while Washington and its NATO allies have explicitly declared their objective of defeating Moscow in Ukraine. Simultaneously, Russia has underscored that it is not completely withdrawing from the pact and has committed to adhering to the nuclear weapons limits established by the treaty, while continuing to inform the US about ballistic missile test launches.
Putin’s statement arises amid escalating tensions between Russia and the West, intensifying fears that the conflict may extend beyond Ukraine’s borders as European nations criticized Russia for what they described as provocations. The incidents encompass Russian drones landing on Polish territory and Estonia’s accusations against Russian fighter jets for intruding into its airspace.
