UN headquarters in New York. Expiration of New START: UN chief calls on Russia and US to reach a new agreement Peace and Security
For the first time in more than half a century, we live in a world in which there are no binding restrictions on the strategic nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States, the two states with the largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons in the world.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made this statement on the occasion of the expiration of the START-3 treaty on February 5th.
Throughout the Cold War and after it, the nuclear arms control regime agreed upon by the two governments helped prevent disaster, the UN chief noted.
“It promoted stability and, in combination with other measures, prevented dangerous miscalculations. Most importantly, it has contributed to the reduction of national arsenals by thousands of nuclear weapons,” Guterres said.
The Secretary General recalled that the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as START-3, expired at a time when the risk of using nuclear weapons is assessed as the highest in decades.
The UN chief called not to lose hope and to create an arms control regime that corresponds to the rapidly changing context.
“I call on both nations to immediately return to the negotiating table and reach a framework agreement that restores verifiable restrictions, reduces risks and strengthens our shared security,” he said.