April 15, 2025
10:00 AM–11:30 AM U.S Eastern Time
The United States and Russia have not engaged in meaningful nuclear arms reduction talks in years, even though they, along with other nuclear-armed states, are obligated to do so under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Without reciprocal constraints, Russia and the United States will face a new era of uncertainty after the expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty agreement on Feb. 5, 2026. The two countries, which still retain close to 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons, will no longer be bound by the treaty’s central limits of 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and 700 deployed launchers. With China rapidly expanding its strategic nuclear forces as well, all the ingredients for a three-way arms race will exist.
At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his concern about the risks of nuclear conflict and his interest in negotiations with Russia and China on “denuclearization.” As U.S. and Russian officials engage on issues related to the future of the war on Ukraine, it is expected that they will also discuss how to manage their dangerous nuclear relationship.
This Arms Control Association briefing, featuring three leading experts in nuclear weapons and arms control policy, explored what options are available and what pathways forward might be feasible for U.S. and Russian negotiators, as well as what the consequences of failure might mean for nuclear risk and global security.
Panelists:
- Thomas Countryman, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security and ACA Board Chairman
- Alexey Arbatov, Head of the Center for International Security at the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations
- María Antonieta (Tonie) Jáquez, Coordinator for Disarmament, Nonproliferation and Arms Control at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.
- Daryl G. Kimball, ACA Executive Director (moderator)