Russia will continue to adhere to the strategic missile and warhead ceilings set under the now-expired New START agreement, provided the United States does not exceed those thresholds, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told lawmakers on Wednesday.
The landmark 2010 arms control deal formally expired on 5 February, leaving Washington and Moscow without legally binding restrictions on their strategic nuclear forces for the first time in decades. Despite that, Moscow says it will voluntarily remain within the previous limits - on the condition that the U.S. does the same.
Lavrov told members of Russia’s lower house of parliament that the Kremlin’s previously announced pause on expanding beyond treaty caps remains in place but only so long as the United States refrains from surpassing them.
President Donald Trump has declined a proposal to continue observing the treaty for another year. Instead, he has argued for negotiating a broader and updated framework that reflects what he describes as a new security reality.
Lavrov said Russia sees no immediate indication that Washington intends to move beyond the former limits. He also renewed calls for structured talks on strategic stability, describing such dialogue as overdue.
The expiration of New START has intensified debate over the risk of a broader nuclear competition, potentially involving China, which maintains a smaller arsenal but is expanding its capabilities rapidly.
Security analysts say Russia’s position allows it to avoid immediate escalation while keeping room to modernise systems not previously covered by the treaty. At the same time, Moscow faces financial pressure linked to its prolonged war in Ukraine, a factor that could weigh on any major expansion of its nuclear programme.
Even if fighting in Ukraine were to ease, experts note that Russia would still need to rebuild its conventional forces, which would limit how aggressively it could pursue a large-scale nuclear build-up.
The White House says deploying United States ground troops in Iran is not currently part of the military strategy in ...
Israel has warned residents to leave a significant area in southern Lebanon, instructing them to move north of the Li...
A torpedo from a U.S. submarine sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth told reporters as ...
A U.S. submarine strike sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, leaving at least 80 dead, the country&...
The election of Iran’s next supreme leader could provide an opportunity to end the ongoing regional war involving Israel, the U.S. and ...
The White House says deploying United States ground troops in Iran is not currently part of the military strategy in the ongoing conflict with Tehran.
Israel has warned residents to leave a significant area in southern Lebanon, instructing them to move north of the Litani River as hostilities with the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah intensified on Wednesday.
A U.S. submarine strike sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, leaving at least 80 dead, the country’s deputy foreign minister said. Meanwhile, Iran postponed the funeral of its late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to state media.
The election of Iran’s next supreme leader could provide an opportunity to end the ongoing regional war involving Israel, the U.S. and Iran, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. military has enough stockpiled weapons to fight wars "forever"; in a social media post late on Monday. The remarks came hours before conflict in Iran and the Middle East entered its fourth day.
U.S. first lady, Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict on Monday (2 March), a move criticised by Iran as hypocritical following U.S. and Israeli strikes that triggered a UN warning about risks to children.
A torpedo from a U.S. submarine sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth told reporters as the Iranian conflcit entered its fifth day on Wednesday.
The U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones resulting in a limited fire and some material damage, the kingdom's defence ministry said in a post on X on Tuesday, citing an initial assessment.
Shahid Motahari Sub-Speciality Hospital in northern Tehran and parts of the Golestan Palace were bombed on day two of the U.S.‑Israel strikes. AnewZ Touraj Shiralilou is in Iran's capital city and said that the facility was flattened in an airstrike.
The White House says deploying United States ground troops in Iran is not currently part of the military strategy in the ongoing conflict with Tehran.
Israel has warned residents to leave a significant area in southern Lebanon, instructing them to move north of the Litani River as hostilities with the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah intensified on Wednesday.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key Iranian naval target was destroyed, confirming that the strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka. Rescue efforts are now under way for the ship’s crew.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 4th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Strikes across the Middle East are intensifying, fuelling travel disruption, driving up global energy prices and forcing diplomatic missions to shut their doors.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment