Russia criticises US as final nuclear warhead treaty set to expire

Al JazeeraEN 2 min read 100% complete February 4, 2026 at 10:07 PM

AI Summary

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On February 4, 2026, the New START treaty between the US and Russia, which limits deployed strategic nuclear weapons, is set to expire. Russia announced it will no longer be bound by the treaty's limits, citing the US's lack of response to President Putin's proposal to extend the treaty for another 12 months. The treaty's expiration means both countries are free to increase missile numbers and deploy more strategic warheads. Experts warn that the end of the treaty could spark a new nuclear arms race between the two nations. Despite this, former US President Trump has expressed interest in negotiating a new agreement to restrict nuclear weapons.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Russian Foreign Ministry 50% Donald Trump ×250% Vladimir Putin 60% United States ×380% Russia ×690% New START treaty ×795%

Keywords

new start treaty 100% nuclear warheads 90% nuclear arms control 80% nuclear arms race 70% strategic nuclear weapons 70% missile limits 60% us-russia relations 50% expiry 40%