A military expert predicted a nuclear arms race if the START Treaty is not extended

The non-renewal of the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty (START Treaty) between Russia and the United States will provoke a nuclear arms race and entail serious consequences. This opinion was shared with Izvestia on February 3 by military expert Yuri Knutov.

"The Treaty retains quantitative indicators both in terms of carriers and nuclear warheads. In other words, it excludes the beginning of an arms race in this area. If we cancel the treaty now, then the same program for the modernization of nuclear forces that the United States has may lead to a quantitative increase in strike weapons and nuclear warheads," he explained.

According to the agreement, the old means of delivery of nuclear weapons must be decommissioned and disposed of, however, in case of non-renewal of the START Treaty, they can be repaired, modernized and maintained in a combat-ready state.

"This is actually a nuclear arms race. It is fraught with a nuclear conflict with all the ensuing consequences, that is, the death of humanity," Knutov stressed.

The expert noted that Washington unites the nuclear potential of the Russian Federation and China, despite the lack of real agreements on this merger and allied commitments of the countries in the military sphere. At the same time, the nuclear forces of France and Great Britain are excluded from the overall potential of NATO.

"This is an extremely dangerous thing that no one needs. And that is why Russia is calling for the extension of the treaty and the parallel holding of new negotiations," he concluded.

Trusting relations: Russia is ready for dialogue with the EU and creation of a new security system

At a meeting with the ambassadors, Putin assessed the situation on the world stage that had developed by the beginning of the year.

Retired Colonel Anatoly Matviychuk, a former special forces officer, told Izvestia that the pause in the contractual regulation between the United States and Russia on the START Treaty may be short-lived. A new agreement is expected to be signed soon.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it would be very bad for strategic security if Russia and the United States remained without an agreement. Kirill Dmitriev, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Investment and Economic Cooperation, said on February 3 that there was growing concern in the United States that the time for agreeing to extend the START Treaty with Russia was coming to an end.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia's readiness to adhere to the START Treaty restrictions for another year after February 5, 2026. In turn, the American leader Donald Trump called Russia's proposal on the START Treaty a good idea.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.