The post-New START era has officially begun, not with an arms race, but with a pledge of temporary restraint from Russia. President Vladimir Putin declared that Moscow will voluntarily adhere to the expired treaty’s nuclear limits for one year, a move intended to preserve a fragile global stability.
This decision, announced during a televised Security Council meeting, is a direct response to what Putin called “worsening strategic stability.” The New START treaty’s limits of 1,550 deployed warheads and 700 delivery systems will, for now, remain Russia’s guiding policy.
This restraint is not offered in a vacuum. Putin explicitly conditioned its continuation on the United States adopting a similar posture. He warned that the measure would only be “viable” if the U.S. refrains from actions that could “undermine or disrupt the existing balance of deterrence.”
The Kremlin is also using this pledge as a diplomatic feeler. Putin suggested that this voluntary self-restraint could be a key factor in creating an environment for renewed, “substantive strategic dialogue” with Washington, a crucial element for normalizing relations.
For the next year, the world will operate under this temporary arrangement. It provides a brief window to avoid unbridled nuclear competition, but the long-term outlook will be shaped by the strategic choices made by the United States in response to Russia’s opening move.