5 February, the US-Russia nuclear treaty expires - the White House is weighing decisions
On 5 February, the last treaty in force between the US and Russia, which sets limits on strategic nuclear forces, expires. The future of the agreement depends on the decision of the US presidential administration Donald Trump, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Limit on strategic warheads
The treaty sets an upper limit on deployed strategic nuclear warheads - up to 1,550 for each party - and provides for mutual verification and inspection mechanisms.
It is the last functioning element of the nuclear control architecture between Washington and Moscow.
What options are being considered in the US
According to the WSJ, the White House has not yet made a final decision. Several options are being considered:
complete refusal to extend the agreement
temporary technical extension
agreeing to Moscow's proposal to gain time for new negotiations
launch of a new format of agreements
Discussions continue at the level of the administration and the security bloc.
The risk of a new arms race
US officials cited by the publication warn that if the agreement expires without a replacement, it could open the way to a new nuclear arms race.
In this case, for the first time in more than half a century, the strategic nuclear arsenals of the two largest nuclear powers will not have formal treaty restrictions.
The failure of the arms control system
In recent years, several key arms control treaties have expired. Experts believe that the disappearance of the last restrictive mechanism will significantly increase global security risks and strategic uncertainty.
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