Paper: GS – II, Subject: International Relations, Topic: Global Issues, Issue: New START Treaty.
Context:
The New START treaty, the last major US-Russia arms control agreement limiting strategic nuclear arsenals, expired on February 5, 2026, leaving both nations unbound by verification or caps amid heightened global tensions.
Key Takeaways:
Background:
- NATO’s Historic Role: Established post-WWII to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.
- The UK ensured the US remained engaged in European security (Article 5), preventing a return to the isolationist Monroe Doctrine.
- The “Free Ride” on Security: Despite comparable economic size (US GDP $31 trillion vs. Europe $28 trillion), Europe has historically underspent on defense. The US accounts for nearly $980 billion of NATO’s $1.6 trillion annual defense spend.
- Nuclear Imbalance: Russia (5,500 warheads) and the US (5,000) control 90% of global nuclear weapons. In contrast, European nuclear powers (UK and France) combined possess fewer than 600 warheads.
- Shift from Detente: Post-Cold War, Europe enjoyed detente (cheap Russian oil and trade).
- However, NATO’s eastward expansion and the Ukraine conflict (2014 Crimea annexation, 2022 full war) shattered this stability.
| What is the New START nuclear treaty? The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) is a bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia that places legally binding limits on Strategic nuclear weapons. It governs weapons designed to strike an adversary’s core political, military, and industrial centres in the event of a nuclear war. Background: Signed: April 2010 Entered into force: February 2011 It is the last remaining nuclear arms deal between Russia and the United States of America, and it was extended for five years in 2021. (Extended the treaty till February 4, 2026. |
The end of the START treaty marks a turning point in global nuclear governance. Europe faces heightened insecurity between a resurgent Russia and a less predictable US. The erosion of transatlantic unity could reshape global power balances, offering opportunities for rising powers like India, but also raising risks of instability and arms race dynamics.
Source: (The Indian Express)
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