Fact Sheet: After the New START Treaty

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) reduced U.S. and Russian strategic offensive forces to levels not seen since the 1960s. It is the last remaining bilateral agreement limiting U.S. and Russian nuclear arms. While reducing the sides’ nuclear arsenals, New START and its predecessors enhanced predictability and stability in their uneasy nuclear deterrence relationship. Unfortunately, New START will expire soon, on February 5, 2026. However, without renewed action on nuclear arms control, an unconstrained three-way nuclear arms race looms.

Both presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have expressed willingnes to engage on strategic nuclear arms control. However any process faces difficult questions. Key obstacles are the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, the modernization of nuclear arsenals and questions of verification. This Deep Cuts Fact sheet lays out key challenges and provides policy options to avoid an unconstrained build-up.