The Russian Federation has formally declared the end of the Russia–United States New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), stating that both countries are no longer bound by its provisions following the agreement’s expiration on February 5, 2026.
In a statement issued by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Moscow recalled that the treaty—signed in 2010, entering into force in 2011 and extended once in 2021—played a key role in limiting the strategic arms race and promoting predictability in nuclear relations between the two countries.
Russia said it suspended its participation in the treaty in February 2023, citing what it described as persistent violations and hostile actions by the United States that undermined the agreement’s fundamental principles.
According to the statement, U.S. military policies, particularly in the area of missile defence, disrupted the strategic balance envisaged under New START and constituted a material breach that made full implementation impossible.
Despite these concerns, Moscow acknowledged that the treaty had largely achieved its objectives by enabling significant reductions in strategic offensive weapons and strengthening strategic stability over more than a decade.
The Russian government noted that even after suspending its participation, it voluntarily continued to observe the treaty’s core numerical limits until its expiration, a commitment the United States had also pledged to maintain.
The statement further revealed that in September 2025, President Vladimir Putin proposed extending voluntary limits on strategic nuclear weapons for at least one year beyond the treaty’s expiry. Russian authorities said the proposal received no formal response from Washington, describing the silence as regrettable and short-sighted.
With the treaty now expired, Russia said no legally binding commitments or reciprocal declarations remain in force. It added that future strategic arms policy would be shaped by an assessment of U.S. military posture and broader global security developments.
While warning that it is prepared to take military-technical measures to safeguard national security if new threats emerge, Moscow reaffirmed its readiness for diplomatic engagement aimed at stabilising the strategic environment, provided conditions for equal and mutually beneficial dialogue are restored.
