In 1,100 days, the last remaining treaty regulating the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, the New Strategic Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the United States and Russia, will expire.
Even before his disastrous decision to invade Ukraine last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin had demonstrated a malign indifference toward basic norms of international behavior, an uneven record of compliance with cornerstone arms control agreements, and a penchant for bullying and using deadly force against opponents.
After raising the nuclear temperature with his recent comments, the Russian president denied issuing any threats of possible nuclear weapons use.
Russia and its war on Ukraine are disrupting the work of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the leading forum for addressing security concerns in that region.
Senior Russian officials discussed possibly using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, but U.S. officials are divided about what this means, according to CNN and The New York Times.
Russia called off the meeting with the United States a day before it was scheduled in Cairo.
Russia Loses Bid for UN Probe of Ukraine, United States
Dialogue on Implementation of Arms Control Agreement in Mutual Interest
Some senior Russian officials have discussed the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, according to reports. The United States and Russia will meet soon for a meeting of New START's Bilateral Consultative Commission. Majority of G20 condemns Russian aggression in Ukraine and nuclear threats.
Siding with Russia in the Ukraine war, Iran delivered drones, promised missiles.
Russian threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine added new tensions as NATO, Russia held separate military exercises.
IAEA efforts to establish a zone of protection around Zaporizhzhia are running into obstacles.
Even while rallying the world in support of Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion and ongoing attacks, Washington must pursue the negotiation of a new arms control arrangement to supersede New START sooner rather than later.
Following President Putin's thinly-veiled threats of nuclear weapons use in his war on Ukraine, our expert panel addressed Russian tactical nuclear weapons capabilities, the consequences of their potential use, and diplomatic and political options.
Sixty years ago this month, the Soviet Union and the world teetered on the edge of nuclear Armageddon over Russian missile deployments in Cuba.