Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised with a more conciliatory tone by expressing his willingness to extend for one year the current nuclear arms control treaty between Moscow and Washington, known as New START, provided that the United States does the same. This agreement, signed in 2010, limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 for each country and imposes restrictions on intercontinental ballistic missiles and their launchers, with mutual inspections to ensure compliance. 

During a meeting of the Russian Security Council, Putin stated that the proposal seeks to preserve nuclear non-proliferation and to open a channel for dialogue with Washington on a potential successor treaty. “Russia is ready to comply with the central limits of New START for one more year after February 5, 2026,” declared the Russian leader, stressing that this measure would only be sustainable if the United States adopts a reciprocal stance and refrains from actions that undermine the existing balance of deterrence.

The announcement comes in a context where Moscow has repeatedly been accused by the West and Ukraine of resorting to “nuclear blackmail,” following its hints about the possible use of nuclear weapons under exceptional circumstances, the revision of its military doctrine, and the deployment of warheads in Belarusian territory. The Kremlin, usually prone to threatening rhetoric on this issue, is now seeking to project a more pragmatic image ahead of the treaty’s imminent expiration in 2026.

However, since 2023 Russia has officially suspended its participation, arguing that NATO inspections had lost validity, as, according to Putin, the West was involved in Ukrainian strikes against strategic targets inside Russia. Nevertheless, the president insisted that his country has continued to respect the treaty’s quantitative limits. Meanwhile, in the United States, President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced his interest in negotiating a new framework for nuclear arms control but including China as a third party—an issue that remains a point of contention. With only months left before the treaty’s expiration, Russia and the United States have yet to open formal negotiations, leaving in suspense one of the most important pillars of global strategic stability.