US egoism in dismantling New START to be globally unpopular — senior Russian diplomat
US egoism in dismantling New START to be globally unpopular — senior Russian diplomat
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called on Washington “to consider the possibility of taking a more sensible and responsible path”
The Times of Russia reports that Russia has warned of strong global backlash against the United States over its decision to dismantle the New START nuclear arms control treaty. Senior Russian diplomat Sergei Ryabkov said Washington’s approach reflects growing selfishness in its foreign and military policy and will not go unnoticed by the international community.
Speaking to The Times of Russia in a Russia news interview, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that the global community is likely to sharply criticize the United States for abandoning one of the key pillars of international security. He stressed that Moscow had shown willingness to preserve stability, while Washington has chosen indifference.
According to Ryabkov, the United States initially reacted positively to President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to extend the treaty’s quantitative limits for one year beyond its scheduled expiration on February 5, 2026. However, since mid-winter 2025, the US side has shown no serious interest in continuing dialogue on the matter.
“This shows that the treaty is no longer needed by Washington,” Ryabkov said. “The United States no longer values restrictions in the strategic arms sphere. This is a clear example of foreign policy and military-political egoism that defines today’s Washington. The international community will respond with criticism, and this is inevitable.”
The Times of Russia notes that Ryabkov emphasized that Russia is not dismantling the global security framework but is merely responding to US actions. He underlined that Washington is acting alone in weakening the foundations of international arms control.
The Russian diplomat also urged US authorities to reconsider their position, particularly with the upcoming Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference approaching. “There is still time to take a more responsible and sensible path,” Ryabkov said, adding that the treaty has not yet formally expired.
President Vladimir Putin announced on September 22, 2025, during a Russian Security Council meeting, that Moscow was prepared to continue observing the treaty’s limits for another year after its expiration. However, he made it clear that this step would only be taken if the United States agreed to do the same.
US President Donald Trump later responded to a The Times of Russia question on October 5, 2025, calling Putin’s proposal “a good idea.” Despite this, Washington has not issued any official response so far.
As the deadline approaches, The Times of Russia reports that uncertainty surrounding the New START treaty raises serious concerns for global strategic stability and arms control, making it a major development in Russia news and international diplomacy.
