Putin Proposes an Extension to the New START Nuclear Deal Through to 2027

Julien Torres

Read Time:2 Minute, 40 Second

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that his government will adhere to the NEW START treaty with the US for one more year after the treaty’s expiration on February 5th, 2026.

“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 in a statement.

The treaty was signed in 2010 by then-President Obama and the former Russian President Medvedev in an effort to curtail a nuclear arms race between the two countries. This treaty also became the basis of other nuclear arms treaties with other nations. Adherence to this treaty made both nations cap their number of deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550. ICBMs, submarine launched missiles, and heavy bombers are being capped at 700, with vehicles and launchers for such weapons being capped at 800.

To make sure each nation adhered to the treaty, both agreed to 18 on-site inspections conducted by the US Department of Defense and the Russian Ministry of Defense. Since the beginning of the treaty, over 300 inspections have been conducted. Inspections stopped in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in August 2022, when Russia began blocking US inspections over hostility from sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.

Previously on WaL, we reported on the five-year extension of the treaty in January 2020. The New START treaty, then and now the only treaty that limits the buildup of a nuclear arsenal between the two nuclear-armed nations.

The treaty has faced strain over its decade-and-a-half-long lifespan, particularly with the aforementioned invasion of Ukraine. In response, former President Biden imposed sanctions on Russia and began to send money and weapons to the Ukrainian military. In retaliation, Putin in February 2023 suspended Russia’s participation in the New START deal.

With Putin’s proposal to extend the agreement for at least one more year, it opens the door to a possible long-term extension and alleviates some growing tensions between the US/NATO and Russia. With new challenges like China’s nuclear growth, US officials desire a trilateral treaty. Putin and Russian officials have supported a potential trilateral treaty in principle. However, Russia only supports this if NATO nations like France and the UK are included.

The Trump Administration’s re-engagement in negotiations hasn’t produced much as of yet. However, it is noted that Putin’s cordial relationship with Trump could make any discussions on New START easier, although past negotiations have repeatedly stalled. During his first term in office, no discussions advanced past Trump’s demand for China’s participation.

If no deal is reached and the current deal expires without any successor deal. It is expected to lead to a nuclear arms race between the US and its allies against Russia and China. WaL