The moment arrived quietly, but its implications are large. On February 5, the final nuclear arms control treaty binding the United States and Russia reached its end, closing a chapter that shaped global security for more than five decades.
The agreement, known as New START, set limits on deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems and allowed for inspections meant to reduce misunderstandings. With its expiration, those limits are gone. For the first time since the Cold War era, there is no active framework restricting the size of the two countries’ long-range nuclear arsenals.
Officials at the United Nations described the lapse as a serious setback. The concern is not only about numbers of weapons, but about transparency. Without inspections and data exchanges, mistrust can grow more easily, especially during periods of high political tension.
Representatives from United States and Russia have both said they intend to act responsibly, even without a treaty in place. Still, diplomats and security experts note that rebuilding a system of checks and limits will be difficult, given strained relations and shifting global power dynamics.
The expiration marks an uncertain moment, with no clear successor agreement on the horizon.
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