Last US-Russia nuclear treaty expires today: What New START is and why Medvedev warns 'Doomsday Clock' is ticking faster

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev attends an interview with Reuters, TASS and WarGonzo in the Moscow region, Russia January 29, 2026.

Russian official Dmitry Medvedev warns that letting the New START nuclear arms treaty expire without replacement could heighten nuclear risk, accelerate the Doomsday Clock, and intensify global tensions, as US-Russia talks stall and China resists involvement.

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A senior Russian official has warned that the world could move closer to nuclear danger if the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia is allowed to expire without any plan to replace it.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s deputy chairman of the Security Council, said letting the New START treaty lapse would accelerate the ticking of the symbolic “Doomsday Clock”, a measure used to represent how close humanity is to a global catastrophe.

The New START, which Medvedev signed in 2010 when he was Russia’s president, expires today (February 5) unless Washington and Moscow reach a last-minute understanding.

What Medvedev warned

Speaking to Reuters, TASS and Russian war blogger WarGonzo, Medvedev said the end of the treaty would not automatically trigger nuclear war but would still be deeply alarming.

“I don't want to say that this immediately means a catastrophe and a nuclear war will begin, but it should still alarm everyone,” Medvedev said.

“The clocks are ticking and they obviously have to speed up,” he added, referring to the Doomsday Clock.

The New START treaty limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear weapons, which are long range, high yield arms capable of devastating destruction. It is the last major nuclear arms agreement still in force between the two Cold War rivals.

Trump’s position on the treaty

US President Donald Trump has signalled that he is willing to let the treaty expire. Moscow had offered to voluntarily extend the limits set by New START, but Trump has not accepted that proposal.

In an interview with the New York Times last month, Trump said, “If it expires, it expires. We'll just do a better agreement.”

The United States has also argued that any future arms control talks should include China, which is now the world’s third largest nuclear power by number of warheads. China has shown no interest in joining such negotiations.

Who is Medvedev and why his words matter

Medvedev is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He previously served as both president and prime minister before taking up his current security role in 2020. Foreign diplomats often view his statements as a reflection of hardline thinking within Russia’s leadership.

Asked whether Trump was good or bad for Russia, Medvedev said Moscow respected the choice made by American voters.

He added that while contacts with Washington have increased since Trump returned to the White House, the global situation remains dangerous.

“We are not interested in a global conflict. We're not crazy,” he said.

Sharp words for Europe

Medvedev reserved his harshest criticism for European leaders, accusing them of damaging their own economies in an effort to confront Moscow over Ukraine.

He described Europe as being run by a “gang of dimwits” and said their policies had failed to weaken Russia.

Russia’s military and technology push

Asked about Russia’s artillery and drone production, Medvedev said the figures were classified but insisted output had risen sharply since the war in Ukraine began.

“We have increased production volumes very quickly. I believe that our defence industry is working like clockwork today,” he said.

He also said Russia must keep pace with major technological shifts, including artificial intelligence, synthetic biology and quantum computing.

“We are in this race with the others,” Medvedev said. “The main thing here is not to fall far behind. There was a period in our country when, due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, we didn't do much research. We just tried to survive.”

Why this matters

With the New START treaty set to expire, there will soon be no formal limits on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals. Medvedev’s warning highlights growing concern that without clear rules or follow up agreements, nuclear competition could intensify at a time when global tensions are already high.