MOSCOW, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Kremlin warned on Tuesday that the world could slide into a more perilous situation within days if the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the United States is not extended.
Signed by Russia and the United States in 2010, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) is set to expire on Thursday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said a proposal put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend the treaty remains valid, but Russia has not received a response from the United States.
Stressing the urgency of the situation, Peskov said: "We believe this would be extremely detrimental to global and strategic security. Our proposals remain on the table for the remaining days."
In September 2025, Putin said that Russia would continue to observe the core limits of the treaty for one year after its expiration, provided that the United States refrains from actions that undermine the existing strategic balance.
The New START, aiming to limit the number of deployed nuclear warheads and strategic delivery systems of Russia and the United States, entered into force in 2011 with an original 10-year validity period, and was later extended bilaterally to Feb. 5, 2026.
The treaty is the only remaining arms control pact between the two nations after Washington withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. ■
