With all the high level diplomacy between the Russians and Trump’s set-up, let us not forget that The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the United States and the Russian Federation is scheduled to expire on February 5, 2026.

The treaty, which is the last remaining pact limiting US and Russian nuclear forces, was signed in 2010 and received a five-year extension in 2021. It cannot be extended again., that is it is the final expiration already! 

The current status is that while Russia announced a suspension of its participation in February 2023, both sides have generally continued to observe the central limits of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles/bombers through early 2026. With the expiration date approaching fast, the two nations have not held formal talks on a successor treaty, raising concerns about a potential, unconstrained nuclear arms race.

There was a proposed extension. In late 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed observing the treaty’s limits for another year beyond February 2026 to avoid an immediate arms race, but this proposal has faced debate regarding whether it serves U.S. national security interests.