With the New Start Treaty set to expire Thursday, the decades-long era of nuclear arms control between the United States and Russia is on the verge of ending, prompting warnings from Moscow and raising concerns about a renewed arms race. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a stark assessment of the situation, while a new round of peace talks regarding the conflict in Ukraine are scheduled to begin today in Abu Dhabi. The fate of the treaty, originally signed in 2010, remains uncertain as the deadline approaches with no clear path to renewal.
Medvedev warns of expiring New Start treaty. Ukraine peace talks resume.
The era of arms control between the United States and Russia appears set to end Thursday, barring a last-minute reversal. That’s when the New Start Treaty, which has limited both countries to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads since 2010, expires without renewal.
The Kremlin has expressed strong concern over the treaty’s impending expiration, issuing a warning that while it doesn’t foresee an immediate nuclear conflict, “it should raise alarm for everyone,” according to Dmitry Medvedev. Medvedev, who signed the New Start treaty with Barack Obama in Prague in 2010 while serving as Russia’s president, delivered the message.
Speaking from his residence, Medvedev addressed not only Russian state media like Tass and the pro-war blog WarGonzo, but also the Reuters news agency, signaling the seriousness of the situation. The development underscores the growing risks of a renewed nuclear arms race.
“The clock is ticking, and now it will obviously accelerate,” Medvedev said, referencing the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic representation of the likelihood of a global catastrophe. He quickly added, however, “We are not interested in a global conflict. We are not crazy.”
Former President Donald Trump has consistently expressed skepticism towards the New Start Treaty. Sources close to him have indicated his opposition stems partly from a dislike of anything negotiated by his predecessor, Barack Obama, and a desire to include China in any future nuclear negotiations. Beijing, however, has repeatedly refused to participate in talks aimed at limiting its nuclear arsenal. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Trump stated that if the treaty expires, “we’ll make a better one.”
Despite improved relations with President Vladimir Putin during his first term, progress on New Start stalled. While the relationship saw some advancement regarding Ukraine and potential Arctic resource exploitation, it did not translate into breakthroughs on arms control. Trump reportedly ignored offers from Moscow to continue adhering to the treaty even without formal renewal. Medvedev also criticized European leaders, calling them “a bunch of idiots” for policies he believes have damaged their economies in an attempt to counter Russia.
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a new round of negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States will take place in Abu Dhabi on February 2nd and 3rd. The first round of talks, held in the Emirati capital on January 23rd and 24th, showed some initial progress but stalled over the status of the Donbas region, which Russia seeks to fully annex.
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