U.S. Lawmakers Face Deadline to Renew or Replace Final Nuclear Arms Treaty

The Bottom Line

The New START Treaty, the last agreement limiting nuclear weapons between the U.S. and Russia, is set to expire on February 5, 2026. A Senate resolution urges lawmakers to maintain these limits and negotiate a new deal that includes China to prevent an uncontrolled arms race. Without a replacement by the deadline, there will be no legal caps on the number of nuclear warheads the world's largest powers can deploy.