NWA News: New START and UNGA  September 26, 2025

Nuclear weapons have been in the news, with significant developments highlighting both opportunities and ongoing challenges for arms control. With the New START Treaty set to expire in February 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced that Russia would offer a one-year extension. Such an arrangement would keep both countries within the current limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons, easing immediate tensions, preventing an accelerated arms buildup, and creating time for further diplomatic engagement.

A longer-term agreement could allow the United States and Russia to address long-standing issues that have complicated past negotiations. These include the possibility of deeper verifiable reductions in strategic nuclear arsenals, restrictions on intermediate-range and sub-strategic nuclear weapons, and discussions on limits for missile defense systems, space-based weapons, and advanced conventional strike capabilities. This is dependent on the U.S. agreeing to the adherence of New START limits as well for the next year. At PSR, we can encourage the President to engage on these arms control agreements with Russia to ensure guardrails remain on these immoral and unusable weapons. 

Nuclear issues also took the stage at the opening of the United Nations’ 80th General Assembly, where U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the risks of nuclear and biological weapons. In his remarks, he underscored the destructive power of modern nuclear arsenals, noting that their use could bring catastrophic consequences and potentially end organized international life as it is known. These statements are consistent with other remarks Trump has made on the threats of nuclear weapons, however inconsistent with continued plans to update nuclear arsenals and spend billions on these weapons.