WEB DESK: President Donald Trump has officially rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to voluntarily adhere to limits on strategic nuclear weapon deployments, a move analysts regard as the conclusive dismantling of Cold War-era arms control agreements. This follows the expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining pact constraining the nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia—the world’s two largest.
Posting on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump criticized the 2010 treaty as a “poorly negotiated agreement,” alleging that it had been “blatantly violated” following Russia’s suspension of on-site inspections in 2023. He argued against extending New START, calling instead for the creation of a new, modernized treaty. The treaty’s conclusion eliminates restrictions, which had capped both nations at 1,550 deployed warheads and 700 delivery systems. Arms control advocates have expressed alarm over the potential for a rapid expansion of nuclear stockpiles.
Trump has reiterated his interest in a potential trilateral deal that would also involve China. However, with an estimated 600 warheads compared to the over 4,000 held by each the U.S. and Russia, China has consistently refused to engage in such discussions.
Russia expressed regret over Washington’s decision. In response, its foreign ministry warned of possible “decisive military-technical countermeasures” should the U.S. proceed with rearming intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The United Nations has urged renewed dialogue, emphasizing that the absence of transparency and verification mechanisms heightens the possibility of miscalculation. Meanwhile, Ukraine has attributed the collapse of the treaty to what it describes as Russia’s strategy of nuclear blackmail.
The White House insists that the U.S. remains open to constructive negotiations. However, experts caution that without an official framework in place, both nations could default to worst-case strategic planning, potentially igniting the largest nuclear buildup since the 1980s.
