Amid rising concerns over the status of international arms control, Russia has asserted that nuclear weapons are currently the sole deterrent preventing the escalation of a major global conflict. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov highlighted the weakening of the global security framework following the expiration of the New START treaty between Russia and the United States. This treaty, which lapsed in February, had served to cap the number of deployed nuclear warheads for both nations.
Peskov cautioned that the absence of nuclear deterrence might heighten the likelihood of broader conflicts. He also pointed to the potential future threat posed by emerging non-nuclear technologies, which could eventually match the destructive capability of nuclear weapons.
The end of New START has sparked fears of a renewed arms race among global powerhouses. The treaty, initially signed in 2010, imposed a limit of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads each for Russia and the United States, and it was the last significant agreement curtailing their nuclear stockpiles.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump had advocated for a new arms control pact that would incorporate China, a nation with expanding nuclear capabilities. However, China has declined to participate in such negotiations. Meanwhile, Russia has suggested that any future agreement should also include other U.S. allies, such as the United Kingdom and France.