Russia says will act responsibly despite New START nuclear treaty expiry

Al JazeeraEN 3 min read 100% complete by By News AgenciesFebruary 5, 2026 at 01:03 PM

AI Summary

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The New START treaty between Russia and the United States, which limited strategic nuclear weapons, expired on February 5, 2026, ending over half a century of arms control limits. Russia and China both expressed regret over the treaty's lapse. The Kremlin stated that Russia will continue to act as a responsible nuclear power, prioritizing its national interests and strategic stability. The treaty, initially signed in 2010, limited each side to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and allowed for on-site inspections, which were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. The future of nuclear arms control between the two nations remains uncertain.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Donald Trump 30% Xi Jinping 30% Vladimir Putin 40% China ×240% Dmitry Peskov ×250% Kremlin ×250% Moscow ×260% New START ×370% United States ×380% Russia ×790%

Keywords

new start treaty 100% nuclear arms control 90% nuclear weapons 80% arms race 70% russia 60% strategic stability 60% expiry 50% united states 50% ballistic missiles 40%