Washington D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump warned of a “new terrifying world” as the New START nuclear arms treaty with Russia risks expiring. The treaty, which limits strategic nuclear arsenals, faces a standstill over membership, including China. Experts say its potential lapse could reduce global nuclear transparency.
The New START treaty, set to expire on February 5, has provided insight into Russia’s military and nuclear capabilities. Former Pentagon official Kingston Reiff said the deal reduced uncertainty and strengthened U.S. nuclear planning. He added that the treaty’s limits had also indirectly addressed Chinese forces.
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Reiff noted that Trump seeks to include China in the treaty, a move that puzzled experts. He said the agreement was never intended to cover all nuclear powers, but it still met U.S. deterrence objectives against Russia and China. Factors like COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also complicated treaty inspections.
Democrats expressed similar concerns. Congressman John Garamendi warned that letting New START lapse without a replacement could trigger a world without limits on the nuclear arsenals of the two largest nuclear powers. Many stress the urgency of negotiating new arms control measures.
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Experts agree that progress has stalled since New START’s enforcement. Reiff said Moscow and Beijing bear most responsibility for the lack of arms control advancement. Still, officials emphasize that creating a successor treaty is necessary to maintain global nuclear stability.