1、Issue BriefDecember 22,2025Is extending the New START limits in the US national security interest?By Greg WeaverBottom lines up frontIntroductionTheTreaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of StrategicOffensive Arms(a
2、lso known as theNew START treaty)expires on February 5,2026.In September,Russian President Vladimir Putin proposedthat Russia and the United States agree to continue complyingwith the“centralquantitativelimits”of the treaty for one additional year.Headded,“We believe this measure will only be viable
3、 if the United States acts in a similar manner and does not take steps that undermine ordisrupt the existing balance of deterrence potentials.”The United States must therefore decide whether to accept Putins proposal,reject it,or insist modifications be made.Given that New START isthe last agreed-up
4、on quantitative limit on the strategic nuclear forces of Russia and the United States,this is a consequential decision.Yet thechoice is ultimately downstream of a more fundamental question:In order to assess the appropriate path forward,the United States mustdetermine its strategy for managing the t
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