Putin Proposes Nuclear Arms Limit Extension Amid Global Tensions

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared his readiness to adhere to nuclear arms limits for one more year under the last remaining nuclear pact with the United States that expires in February. He urged Washington to follow suit.

Putin said allowing the New START agreement to expire would destabilize the situation and could lead to a proliferation of nuclear weapons. His remarks came during a time of heightened tensions between Russia and the West, as concerns grow that the conflict in Ukraine might escalate beyond its borders.

“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,” Putin stated from the Kremlin.

He emphasized that Russia is prepared to stick by the treaty’s limits for one more year after it expires on February 5, 2026. Arms control advocates have voiced concern about the treaty’s impending expiration and the lack of dialogue to secure a successor deal, warning of a potential nuclear arms race and increased risk of nuclear conflict.

Maintaining limits on nuclear weapons might create a conducive atmosphere for substantive strategic dialogue with the U.S., Putin added. The New START, signed by former U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, limits each nation to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.

Putin called on the U.S. to match Russia’s commitment to the treaty, stating, “We believe this measure will only be viable if the United States acts in a similar manner.” Daryl G. Kimball, the director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, welcomed Putin’s statement as a positive move, urging both nations to quickly reach an interim deal to maintain existing nuclear limits.

“More nuclear weapons will not make anyone safer,” Kimball expressed, suggesting that an agreement not to exceed current strategic nuclear limits could lower tensions and prevent an arms race. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously commented on the importance of addressing the looming expiration of the New START.

Putin directed Russian agencies to carefully monitor American activities concerning strategic offensive arms, particularly any preparations for U.S. missile interceptors in space, which he indicated would prompt a Russian response.

In February 2023, Putin suspended Moscow’s participation in the New START treaty, citing an inability to allow U.S. inspections of Russian nuclear sites while facing Western opposition. However, he stressed that Russia was still committed to the treaty’s caps and would continue to inform the U.S. about ballistic missile test launches.

As tensions continue to rise, NATO allies in Europe recently accused Russia of provocations, including the presence of Russian drones in Polish airspace and fighter jets in Estonian airspace. The fate of nuclear arms control remains uncertain with the diplomatic landscape in flux.