UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued an urgent appeal to Russia and the United States to immediately resume dialogue and establish a new arms control system. This call to action was included in a statement from the head of the global organization, released to mark the official expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) on February 5, 2026.
"I urge both states to return to the negotiating table without delay and to agree upon a successor framework that restores verifiable limits, reduces risks, and strengthens our common security," he stated. He emphasized that the international community now expects both the Russian Federation and the United States to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action.
In September 2025, during a meeting with the Russian Security Council, President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was prepared to voluntarily adhere to the quantitative limits of the treaty for an additional year. However, he clarified that this commitment was contingent on Washington acting in a similar spirit. While US President Donald Trump described Putin's proposal as a "good idea" in remarks to TASS in October 2025, no formal agreement or practical steps were taken by the United States to institutionalize this extension before the treaty lapsed.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS