The last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia – the New START Agreement – is set to expire on February 5, 2026, just this week!
Signed in 2010, the New START Agreement limits the number of strategic (long-range) nuclear warheads and launchers that the U.S. and Russia can deploy. Here is a fact sheet that has further information on the New START Agreement.
In September, Putin invited the U.S. to join Russia in maintaining the numerical caps and measures that the New START Agreement imposes for one additional year. In October, Trump called it “a good idea.” The U.S., however, has not sent Russia an official reply to its offer.
The informal extension offered by Russia is a key first step toward stabilization. The time it buys can be used for negotiations to replace the New START Agreement and stop a new nuclear arms race.
How You Can Take Action:
It is imperative that we speak up and press for arms control and future negotiations to reduce the nuclear dangers facing America and the world.
- You can attend Peace Action’s Action Hour call, cosponsored by Tri-Valley CAREs, tomorrow Tuesday, February 3rd at 9am PST (zoom link here). In addition to a briefing on the status of the issue, you’ll be provided a sample call script and template email to contact Congress and the president. You make the calls and send the emails during the meeting, and we may have time for some report-backs, especially if you get to talk to a live operator or staffer.
- Or, call or email your Senators and your Representative on your own. You can use the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Or, click here to find your member of Congress and their email or direct office phone number. Here is a sample call script:
“INTRODUCTION: “Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I live in [Your City/Town]. I am a constituent. I am calling because the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and Russia is about to expire.”
IDENTIFY the issue: “I am concerned that after New START expires on Feb. 5, all constraints on Russian and U.S. nuclear weapons will fall away, which would allow Russia to increase the size of its arsenal and accelerate the nuclear arms race.”
THE ASK: “I wish for [Representative name] to support maintaining commonsense limits on Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals. With over 1,500 nuclear warheads ready to launch at any time, the U.S. already has more than enough firepower to destroy our adversaries. I urge [Representative name] to call on the White House to agree with Russia to continue to respect the New START limits while they pursue serious negotiations of a follow-on agreement to achieve further reductions in both sides’ arsenals.”
PERSONALIZE: “This issue is important to me because [share personal or community impact]. I’m also worried about the lack of a formal U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control dialogue and concerned that the president won’t act decisively to prevent an arms race without the active support of members of Congress.”
CLOSING: “Thank you for passing my message along. As there are only two days until New START expires, I hope to hear soon about what [Representative name] is doing to prevent a nuclear arms race.”
- And, contact the president and tell him to say “Da”(yes) to the Russian proposal. Currently, the White House comment line is down due to the partial government shutdown, but you can post a comment at https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
You will need to fill out some basic contact information, then you can copy and paste this text, embellishing as you see fit, especially adding your own personal thoughts or experiences.
“Mr. President,
The New START limits of 1,550 deployed, strategic nuclear weapons each for the US and Russia must be maintained. I urge you to immediately agree to Russia’s proposal to continue observing the New START limits for at least a year, to avert accelerating the nuclear arms race.
The US and Soviet Union, now Russia, have had treaties limiting nuclear weapons since 1972. If New START’s limits are not extended, there will be no treaties left that prevent an all-out arms race. The death of nuclear arms control cannot be something you want as your legacy.
After agreeing to Russia’s proposal for at least a one-year extension to observe the New START limits, a new agreement can be negotiated to reduce nuclear weapons even further. But for now, I urge you to agree to Russia’s current proposal.
Sincerely, Your name”
More Talking Points:
- The New START Agreement is the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia. It limits both countries to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and 700 launchers. If it lapses, there will no longer be ANY legally binding caps on the size of either country’s arsenal.
- Diplomacy is far superior to dangerous new arms racing and should be pursued. Indeed, a successor to the New START Agreement can, and should, serve as a stepping stone to further reductions in both countries’ stockpiles. When all U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons are counted (not just the strategic, deployed warheads addressed in the New Start Agreement), the total is more than 10,000 nuclear weapons. This figure accounts for nearly 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons. The New START Agreement is important both for the protections it contains but also for the future negotiating opportunities its follow-on agreement could represent.
- ReThink Media and the Nuclear Threat Initiative commissioned a new YouGov poll that found an overwhelming majority of Americans (87%)—including the vast majority of Trump voters—think Trump should agree to Russia’s one-year proposal, and an even larger majority of Americans (91%) want the administration to negotiate a new deal with Russia to either maintain current nuclear limits or further reduce both countries’ arsenals.
Tri-Valley CAREs recently endorsed this sign-on letter to members of Congress to “Support Efforts to Prevent a New Nuclear Arms Race and Renewed Nuclear Testing After New START.” We’ve been hard at work on advocating for New START’s extension and wish to see a future of arms control agreements. Join us in pushing for an extension!
What might happen without New START?
New START’s expiration marks the removal of quantitative caps on U.S. and Russian long-range nuclear forces for the first time in 35 years. Without the treaty, both countries can (and will) rapidly expand their arsenals, risking a new nuclear arms race with new technology such as AI between the largest arsenals, higher risk of nuclear conflict, and an enormous new wave of unnecessary spending on weapons.
The result? Rising nuclear instability, rapid uploading of existing nuclear warheads and increased nuclear arms racing.
A local example of how this arms racing will look is right here at the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL), one of two locations in the US that designs nuclear warheads. In 2025 NNSA announced its proposal for “Enhanced Plutonium Facility Utilization” which it claims is necessary to facilitate its support of new plutonium bomb core production and speed the development of new nuclear weapons.
This proposal will significantly increase the throughput of nuclear weapons-grade plutonium at LLNL and trucked in and out of LLNL, using roads such as the nearby I-580. With existing nuclear weapons modernization efforts already driving a major increase in operations at LLNL, a world without arms control treaties like New START will supercharge the future funding and scope of these nuclear weapons programs.
Finally, we will be discussing the next steps at our February Tri-Valley CAREs on Thursday, February 19th at 7pm via Zoom. Join us!
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