Russia Signals Readiness to Resume Nuclear Arms Reduction Talks with the United States
Russia is prepared to reopen dialogue with the United States on nuclear arms reduction if suitable conditions are established, Russian Permanent Representative to the Geneva-based international organizations Gennady Gatilov announced. He emphasized that Moscow is willing to continue adhering to the central quantitative limits of the New START Treaty for an additional year after its scheduled expiration on February 5, 2026. However, Gatilov stressed that this commitment depends on Washington taking reciprocal steps and refraining from actions that could upset the strategic balance. “After all, it takes two to tango,” he remarked.
Gatilov noted that the issue is expected to be discussed during the January 2026 session of the Conference on Disarmament. The New START Treaty, signed in 2010 and implemented in 2011, imposes strict caps on deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, strategic bombers, and associated warheads. Initially set for ten years, the treaty was extended in February 2021 for the maximum period of five years, with Russian officials calling it the “golden standard” of modern arms control.
Russia suspended its participation in the treaty in February 2023, though it did not formally withdraw, with President Vladimir Putin insisting that any future agreement must also consider the nuclear arsenals of other NATO powers, including the United Kingdom and France. In September 2024, Putin reiterated Moscow’s readiness to maintain New START limits for an additional year, provided the U.S. mirrors this stance. When asked about Putin’s proposal by TASS on October 5, U.S. President Donald Trump responded that it “sounds like a good idea,” signaling potential openness from Washington as both sides face growing international pressure to preserve strategic stability.
