New START is the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the US. Between them, these two countries own almost 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons.
The Treaty has played an important part in promoting transparency and confidence-building between the US and Russia for over 30 years.
New START is due to expire on 5 February and if no action is taken before then, it puts the world in even more danger from nuclear weapons.
History
An original START agreement was signed by the US and the Soviet Union in 1991 to cap the number of nuclear weapons each state could have.
A New START treaty entered into force in February 2011, and has been extended since then, committing the US and Russia to set the following limits:
-no more than 1,550 deployed warheads
-no more than 800 deployed and non-deployed launchers
-no more than 700 deployed missiles and bombers.
Whilst the Treaty didn’t address both countries’ substantial nuclear stockpiles, it has acted as a break on an all-out nuclear arms race.
Today
Every day, we can see the world getting more and more dangerous. At a time when the threat of nuclear weapons being used in war is the highest since the Cold War, it is vital that this critical arms control treaty is extended.
The Treaty is due to expire on 5 February and if no action is taken before then, it puts the world in even more danger from nuclear weapons. However, US President Trump and Russian President Putin have both expressed interest in continuing to abide by the Treaty. The Russian government has publicly stated that it is waiting for the US’ response to its proposal to informally extend New START for a year.
Trump included a reference to extending New START in his Ukraine peace plan. However, no formal discussions to ensure this happens are ongoing.
Why we shouldn’t let New START expire
The New START Treaty remains the last remaining constraint on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals. Its collapse would represent a serious and dangerous step backwards for global arms control. The world community needs to come together to ensure this Treaty does not expire.
CND is calling for:
• The US and Russia to immediately begin discussions on a temporary extension to New START and guarantee that they will not increase their number of deployed warheads.
• For both countries to allow UN weapons inspections at their nuclear facilities as a confidence-building measure.