How Moscow & Washington Worked on Nuclear Limits:
Nuclear warheads;
Their delivery systems (ballistic and cruise missiles, aerial bombs);
Launching means (mobile and fixed launch systems, heavy bombers) designed to strike critical targets at intercontinental distances (more than 5,500 km).
These include the following: |
intercontinental ballistic missiles (American Minuteman II-III, Peacekeeper; Russian "Topol" family missile complexes, liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, P-36M, PC-24 "Yars"), their launchers and warheads; |
submarine-launched ballistic missiles and their delivery vehicles (American Trident-II and Russian R-29R, P-39, P-39RM and P-30); |
heavy bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons (Russian Tu-95MS and Tu-160, American B-52G, B-52N, B-1V and B-2A). |
The treaty established clear boundaries:
No more than 700 strategic delivery systems deployed;
No more than 1,550 nuclear warheads deployed;
No more than 800 launchers and bombers (deployed and non-deployed).
2010
Signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and American President Barack Obama on April 8 in Prague, it replaced the previous agreements (START I and SORT) and became a cornerstone of strategic stability.
2018
The obligations of the parties have been fulfilled.
2021
Concluded for 10 years, it was extended once for 5 years.
2023
In February, Russia announced the suspension of its participation, citing American violations.
2025
In September, Vladimir Putin declared Russia's willingness to continue to respect the limits of the treaty for one year after February 5, 2026.
2026
The treaty will definitively expire on February 5th.
- 527 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers;
- 1,444 warheads, including nuclear warheads;
- 779 launchers (deployed and non-deployed) for intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers (deployed and non-deployed).
The data announced by the American side on September 1, 2022 (659 launchers deployed, 1,420 warheads allocated to them under the START treaty and 800 launchers of intercontinental ballistic missiles, sea-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers, deployed or not) were also deemed not to be in line with reality.
After a period of uncertainty under the Trump administration, the treaty was extended without modification until February 5, 2026, by the Biden administration in February 2021. However, dialogue broke down after the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. Inspection activities, previously suspended due to the pandemic, have not resumed, primarily due to obstacles related to sanctions: closed airspace and the United States' refusal to issue visas to Russian inspectors.
January 31, 2023
The United States has accused Russia of violating the treaty by refusing to allow inspections at its sites and by postponing consultations.
February 21, 2023
Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of Russia's participation in the treaty (without formally withdrawing). He emphasized that the United States was considering the possibility of real-world tests of its nuclear weapons, particularly in the context of Washington's development of new types of nuclear warheads.
Western arms deliveries, including American ones, to Ukraine, as well as Western assistance in striking Russian strategic aviation bases.
The United States and NATO openly declare their objective of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.
According to Vladimir Putin, any discussion on New START must take into account the arsenals of France and the United Kingdom, i.e. the combined strike potential of NATO.
The obstacles created by the United States to the conduct of the inspections provided for by the treaty.
As of June 2023, the United States has ceased exchanging data on its nuclear weapons with Russia.
In June 2023, Washington proposed a compartmentalized dialogue to Moscow, separate from other international issues on which Moscow and Washington disagree. Russia rejected this format. In September of the same year, the United States declared its willingness to discuss START "without preconditions."
In January 2025, President Trump spoke in favor of reducing the nuclear arsenals of Russia, the United States and China, mentioning discussions with Beijing which he said could join the negotiations.
In July 2025, Trump announced work on limiting Russian and American nuclear capabilities. A month later, in August, Putin also raised the possibility of resuming negotiations with the United States on New START.
