US-Russia Nuclear Arms Control Treaty Expires, Raising Fears of New Arms Race

• •The New START treaty expired on November 14, 2026, ending nuclear arms limits.
• •UN Secretary General Guterres called for immediate negotiations for a successor treaty.
• •The expiration raises fears of a renewed arms race between the US and Russia.

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the US and Russia expired on November 14, 2026, ending a key arms control agreement that capped nuclear arsenals. UN Secretary General António Guterres described the expiration as a 'grave moment for international peace and security' and urged both nations to negotiate a new framework immediately. The treaty had limited each country to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and included transparency measures such as data sharing and inspections. Without this treaty, there are no binding limits on the nuclear arsenals of the US and Russia, raising concerns about a potential arms race. Guterres emphasized that the risk of nuclear weapon use is at its highest in decades and called for urgent action from both leaders to prevent unchecked proliferation. The expiration marks a significant shift in nuclear arms control dynamics, with implications for global security.