Putin announces suspension of Russia's participation in the New START treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of Russia's participation in the New START treaty, the country's only major nuclear arms control agreement with the United States. He also threatened to resume nuclear weapons tests, increasing tensions with the international community. Putin has repeatedly issued explicit nuclear threats against Ukraine and NATO since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian nuclear arsenal deters NATO's intervention, prolonging the war, making any conventional resolution difficult to achieve. While some argue that Putin's reluctance to use nuclear weapons is evidence that he will never do so, others warn that his actions could trigger a nuclear war. The suspension of the New START agreement increases nuclear dangers.