Nuclear Powers Enter Era Without Arsenal Limits as Treaty Expires

For the first time in decades, observers note that the world’s two largest nuclear superpowers are no longer bound by any treaty limiting their arsenals, marking what analysts describe as a significant shift in global security arrangements.

The last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the nation and Russia, known as New START, reportedly expired Thursday. The lapse removed limits on how many nuclear weapons the capital and Moscow could deploy on missiles, bombers and submarines, and ended the requirement that both sides notify one another whenever nuclear weapons were moved.

The scale of what’s now unconstrained is said to be vast, according to defense experts. Globally, there are more than 12,200 nuclear weapons spread across nine nuclear-armed nations, according to a recent analysis. The country and Russia alone reportedly account for roughly 10,636 of those weapons.

While the exact size of each nation’s arsenal is closely guarded, estimates based on data from the Federation of American Scientists provide insight into the global nuclear landscape. The breakdown reportedly shows the concentration of nuclear capabilities among a small number of states, with the two former Cold War adversaries maintaining the largest stockpiles.

Ahead of the New START agreement’s expiration, the head of state wrote on social media that rather than extend what he characterized as “a badly negotiated deal,” nuclear experts should work on “a new, improved and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future.”

The leader has previously argued that China should be included in any new agreement with Russia, pointing to Beijing’s growing nuclear arsenal, reportedly the world’s third largest after the nation and Russia. This position reflects what observers describe as the country’s evolving approach to arms control in an era of multipolar nuclear competition.

Analysts suggest that the expiration of the treaty opens what some characterize as uncharted territory for nuclear arms control, potentially leading to the fastest arms race in decades as the major powers face no formal constraints on their strategic weapons programs.