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The Kremlin warned that the world is heading into a “dangerous” moment as the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia is set to expire this week.
“In just a few days, the world will be in a more dangerous position than it has ever been before,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, referring to the impending expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New START.
Peskov said Russia has not yet received a response from Washington regarding President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to extend the treaty’s restrictions.
“The Russian initiative, outlined by President Putin, remains on the table. We still haven’t received an American response to this initiative,” Peskov told reporters.
Putin said in September 2025 that Russia was ready to adhere to the treaty’s quantitative limits for another year after its expiration in February, provided the United States did the same.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Russia would not send official demarches to the United States seeking a response.
“We did everything that needed to be done earlier. A lack of response is also a response,” Ryabkov said, adding that Russia would proceed with its policy based on ensuring national security.
Ryabkov said Russia was prepared for a new reality without arms control restrictions, while noting that stabilizing elements of the previous system were being lost.
The New START treaty, signed by Moscow and Washington in 2010, limits each side to 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles and heavy bombers, 800 deployed and non-deployed launchers, and 1,550 nuclear warheads.
Russia said it fully met its obligations by the deadline, while accusing the United States of excluding some weapons from its calculations. The treaty is set to expire on Feb. 5.
China urged the United States to safeguard global strategic stability as the treaty nears expiration.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing noted Russia’s proposals on follow-up arrangements and hopes Washington will respond positively.
Lin said China’s position on trilateral nuclear arms control talks with Russia and the U.S. remains unchanged, arguing that China’s nuclear forces are not on the same level as those of the two countries.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia holds 5,459 nuclear warheads and the United States 5,177, together accounting for about 90% of the world’s total.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants to keep limits on nuclear weapons and has expressed interest in involving China in future arms control discussions, according to a White House official.
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