The world is on the brink of a grave moment as the expiration of the New Start treaty between the United States and Russia could trigger a global arms race, according to the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. This pivotal moment marks the end of over five decades of arms control efforts, a time when the risk of nuclear weapons use is at its highest in decades. With the two nations possessing the overwhelming majority of the world's nuclear stockpile, the absence of binding limits on their strategic arsenals is a cause for concern. Guterres emphasizes the importance of the New Start treaty, which has drastically improved global security, and calls for a successor framework to be agreed upon by both countries without delay. The treaty's expiration has sparked reactions from world leaders, with Pope Leo XIV urging both sides to prevent a new arms race and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterating the need for a new agreement that includes China, due to its rapidly growing nuclear arsenal. The situation is further complicated by the Trump administration's lack of engagement in treaty negotiations, raising questions about the future of nuclear arms control in a world of escalating global instability.
