The New START treaty, which for more than 10 years placed legal limits on the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems held by the United States and Russia, officially expired on Thursday. With no replacement agreement in place, both countries are no longer bound by restrictions on their nuclear arsenals.
This development marks the first time since the early 1970s that the two largest nuclear powers do not have a formal arms control framework limiting their strategic weapons. The expiration raises questions about the future trajectory of nuclear arms development and international security.
**Why this matters**
The New START treaty played a key role in maintaining transparency and stability between the US and Russia by capping the number of deployed strategic nuclear weapons. Without these limits, there is potential for an arms buildup, increased tensions, and reduced predictability in nuclear force postures. The absence of a binding agreement also complicates global nonproliferation efforts and could influence other countries’ nuclear policies.
Source: NewsData