End of the New START Treaty, the last important agreement Nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the US expires today
Russian officials confirmed that the New START Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty officially ended today, Thursday, February 5, 2026, and no agreement has been reached to extend or replace it.
Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian president, announced that Moscow continues to seek to ensure strategic stability through diplomatic channels. In September 2025, Russia proposed a voluntary one-year extension of the treaty’s main restrictions, but did not receive an official response from the United States.
The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized in a statement that from now on, neither side is bound by the treaty’s obligations, including its main restrictions, and both countries are free to independently determine their next steps.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier warned that failure to extend restrictions could make the world a more dangerous place within days, increasing the risk of a new arms race.
US President Donald Trump said in January that he was not concerned about the end of the treaty and expressed confidence that a new agreement would be reached.
The New START Treaty was the last major nuclear arms control agreement between the world’s two major nuclear powers after the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. Its end has created a significant shift in the global strategic landscape and raised concerns about the beginning of a new round of arms race.
