START II

START II or the New START Treaty was entered into force on February 5, 2011. Under the treaty, the United States and the Russian Federation had seven years to meet the treaty's central limits on strategic offensive arms (by February 5, 2018) and are then obligated to maintain those limits for as long as the treaty remains in force. The United States and the Russian Federation agreed to extend the treaty through February 4, 2026. Russia has declared its willingness to voluntarily extend the treaty for one more year after February 2026, provided the US reciprocates and refrains from actions that could break the nuclear status quo, such as deploying interceptor systems in space.

The START I Treaty (1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was a landmark agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union aimed at reducing and limiting strategic offensive arms, significantly impacting nuclear disarmament.

Effects of expiration

The effects of an expiration of the START II Treaty with no further agreements would have many unforeseen consequences, at least as far as the American public is concerned. For instance, the Russian State Duma is preparing to ratify the agreement on military cooperation between Russia and Cuba, which was signed by the two countries in March 2025. Cuban authorities have asked the Russian Federation to deploy modern weapons systems on the island. According to the March 2025 Russia-Cuban agreement, Russia has every right to deploy any offensive weapons systems in Cuba, including the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missiles and Iskander tactical missile systems. Modern weapons systems on the island would not only secure Cuba's sovereignty against pressure from the United States in the Caribbean but would also proliferate modern military technologies to Cubans.

See also

• New Russian‑Nicaraguan Alliance Pact