The White House said the United States had extended for five years the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), the only remaining nuclear arms reduction treaty between the U.S. and Russia, after Moscow took the same step one week ago.
The treaty intends to slash by half the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers held by the U.S. and Russia. It also establishes a new inspection and verification regime.
The existing treaty was signed April 2010 in the Czech Republic and entered into force in February 2011 after ratification by both countries. It was set to expire this Thursday, and its extension does not require approval from the U.S. Congress.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who made the announcement, said extending New START allows verifiable limits on Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and nuclear-capable strategic heavy bombers until Feb. 5, 2026.
"Extending the New START Treaty makes the United States, U.S. allies and partners, and the world safer. An unconstrained nuclear competition would endanger us all," according to Blinken.
Both houses of the Russian Duma (parliament) approved the extension on Jan. 27.
Blinken also said the treaty's "verification regime enables us to monitor Russian compliance with the treaty and provides us with greater insight into Russia's nuclear posture, including through data exchanges and onsite inspections that allow U.S. inspectors to have eyes on Russian nuclear forces and facilities."
Blinken revealed the extension will allow the U.S. to engage China in the hopes of entering into a similar treaty. The absence of China from New START was the key reason cited by the Trump administration for its attempt to replace New START with another treaty.
The Trump administration insisted a new version of the treaty must also include China. Beijing, however, keeps saying it has no interest in entering into arms control negotiations with the other countries.
"We will also pursue arms control to reduce the dangers from China's modern and growing nuclear arsenal," said Blinken.
"The United States is committed to effective arms control that enhances stability, transparency and predictability while reducing the risks of costly, dangerous arms races."
Blinken said the New START extension does not mean the Biden administration will go easy on Russia in other areas of tension. He said the U.S. "will hold Russia to account for adversarial actions as well as its human rights abuses, in close coordination with our allies and partners."
