The New START Treaty, signed between the USA and Russia, will expire on February 5, 2026. This marks the first time in over half a century that the nuclear arsenals of the two largest nations in the world will remain without quantitative limits. The Ukrainian government is responding decisively to these developments, emphasizing the threats they pose to global security.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukraine’s Position and the Foreign Ministry’s Response
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stressed that the termination of the New START Treaty is a direct consequence of Russia’s deliberate destabilization of the international security system. According to him, the Kremlin is intentionally fragmenting the architecture of global security, seeking to challenge existing rules and impose its own conditions.
“Putin wants to make all rules selective and question them, so that new rules are established with his consent. And this is where he should be denied. Moscow violated the New START Treaty and withdrew from it in 2023. Putin is now using it as yet another tool of nuclear blackmail to undermine international support for Ukraine,” said the head of the foreign ministry, urging not to succumb to manipulation.
Sybiha also emphasized that the Russian president lacks the resources for a new arms race. He is convinced that the termination of the New START Treaty should put an end to nuclear blackmail from Russia.
Implications for Global Security
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the termination of the treaty creates a “dangerous moment” for the world, as both leading nuclear powers will be without a key document that limited and controlled their arsenals. According to Peskov, the global community will find itself in a more risky situation than ever before.
In 2023, the Kremlin announced the “suspension” of its participation in the New START Treaty in response to military support for Ukraine from the USA. Washington, in turn, also effectively froze the implementation of the agreement, although it formally remained in force until February 2026.
Last fall, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to adhere to the limit of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads for each side for another year. However, these initiatives did not lead to any concrete continuation. The U.S. State Department refrained from commenting on the status of the treaty, redirecting inquiries to the White House.
Thus, the termination of the New START Treaty heightens tensions in the realm of global security, and Ukraine calls on the international community not to succumb to nuclear blackmail from Russia.