Biden seeks new start for New START
A five-year extension to US-Russian nuclear arms limitation treaty would have to be agreed rapidly as it is due to expire on 5 February.
Newly installed US President Joe Biden is seeking a five-year extension to the New START nuclear weapons treaty with Russia, in a clear shift of policy compared with the previous Trump Administration.
Biden, who formally took office on 20 January, pledged during the 2020 US presidential election campaign to extend New START beyond its scheduled expiration date of 5 February 2021.
‘I can confirm that the United States intends to seek a five-year extension of New START, as the treaty permits,’ White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on 21 January.
‘The president has long been clear that the New START treaty is in the national security interests of the United States,’ Psaki added. ‘This extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is as adversarial as it is at this time.’
Towards the end of his term as US president, Donald Trump tried to negotiate a short extension to New START but this faltered, partly because the US wanted to broaden the treaty to include China.
‘New START is the only remaining treaty constraining Russian nuclear forces and is an anchor of strategic stability between our two countries,’ Psaki remarked.
If the treaty expires, there would no longer be any limits to the number of nuclear-armed platforms that Russia and the US would be able to deploy.
New START was signed in 2010 and entered into force the following February for ten years. It set a target for Russia and the US each to reduce their inventory of deployed strategic nuclear weapons to no more than 700 inter-continental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers within seven years.
The treaty can be replaced by a follow-up agreement before the deadline expires, or prolonged until 2026 by mutual consent.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems]()
Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems
Air defence systems are continuing to appear top of countries’ shopping lists but broadly across different capabilities it is a sellers’ market, as demonstrated by backlogs and double-digit percentage point growth.
-
![Details revealed on Germany’s big spending plans]()
Details revealed on Germany’s big spending plans
In May this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government plans to position Germany as “Europe's strongest conventional army”. A new blueprint outlines how this is going to occur through massive investment.
-
![European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap]()
European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap
Two of the concrete projects outlined in the readiness report, the European Air Shield and Space Shield, will aim to be launched by Q2 2026.
-
![Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026]()
Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026
The country has allocated RM21.70 billion for defence spending next year, with some major procurements set to be initiated across the country’s army, navy and air force.
-
![GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements]()
GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements
The US Government Accountability Office recently released two reports; one into the availability of selected equipment and another looking at how the government gets data and intellectual property rights through contracting.
