Expiry of nuclear weapons pact between US and Russia risks new arms race

The New Start treaty between the US and Russia, which limited each country's nuclear arsenal, is set to expire on Thursday, ending over five decades of arms control. The treaty limited each country to 1,550 warheads and 800 delivery systems. With its expiration, mutual limits on the world's two largest nuclear arsenals will be removed, raising concerns about a potential new arms race and increased global instability. While Putin proposed a one-year extension in September, Moscow claims it never received a formal response. Officials and experts warn of escalating nuclear risks and the erosion of international stability due to the treaty's lapse.