Russia ready to adhere to New START Treaty limits for 1 year after it expires next year: Putin

ISTANBUL

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that his country is ready to adhere to the central quantitative limits under the New START Treaty between Moscow and Washington for a year after it expires in early 2026.

During a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council in Moscow, Putin said that the New START Treaty will expire on Feb. 5, 2026, marking the “imminent demise of the last international agreement directly limiting nuclear missile capabilities.”

Putin argued that a complete rejection of the deal signed in April 2010 would be wrong and “short-sighted” from many perspectives, and would also negatively impact the goals of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

He said that Moscow believes it is justified to attempt to maintain the status quo established by the 2010 agreement during this “rather turbulent period” to avoid “provoking a further strategic arms race and to ensure an acceptable level of predictability and restraint.”

“Therefore, Russia is prepared to continue adhering to the central quantitative limitations of the New START Treaty for one year after February 5, 2026,” Putin expressed, adding they will later make a decision on continuing the restrictions based on an analysis of the situation.

“We believe that this measure will only be viable if the US acts in a similar manner and does not take steps that undermine or violate the existing balance of deterrence potentials,” Putin noted.

He went on to express his belief that the implementation of Russia's initiative could significantly contribute to creating an atmosphere "conducive to substantive strategic dialogue" with the US.

He stated, however, that this proves that the conditions for the treaty's resumption are established and takes into account the entire range of efforts to normalize "bilateral relations and eliminate fundamental contradictions in the area of ​​security."

In an assessment of the situation regarding strategic stability, Putin accused the West of taking "destructive" steps that have undermined the "foundations of constructive relations and practical cooperation between nuclear-armed states."

The Russian president also said that his country is capable of responding to any “existing or emerging threats,” and that it would do so not only with words, but also through “military-technical measures.”

The New START Treaty entered into force in February 2011 and limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed by Moscow and Washington to a maximum of 1,550 each.

The agreement also limits the number of launchers and nuclear-capable heavy bombers to 800 and creates a mutual inspection and notification regime.

The two countries extended the agreement to February 2026 shortly after former US President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. Putin declared that Moscow would suspend its participation in the treaty in February 2023.

US authorities have not immediately commented on Putin's remarks.