Trump and Putin Fail to Renew Last Nuclear Arms Treaty

The New START treaty expired on February 5, 2026, after the administration of Donald Trump failed to respond to a one-year extension offer from Vladimir Putin.This expiration removes the final verifiable limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the USA and Russia for the first time in over five decades.Analysts warn that the lack of a replacement agreement and the rapid expansion of nuclear forces in China could trigger a dangerous global arms race.