A coalition of Democratic members of Congress on Wednesday urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to cooperate with Congress in extending the US-Russia nuclear weapons control treaty, New START, which expires on February 5, 2026. They stressed that, in spite of constant geopolitical tensions, the treaty has been very effective in lowering the risk of nuclear war.
In a letter, first published by Reuters, Senators Edward Markey, Christopher Murphy, and Tammy Baldwin, among others, called on the Trump administration to take the initiative to launch high-level talks for a follow-on agreement. They contended that in the past, even at times of extreme competition, like the Cold War, the US and Russia were able to create key arms control structures.
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1080px" width="1920px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="595px" width="1058px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
“We denounce Putin’s nuclear threats toward Ukraine,” the lawmakers stated. “However, even during moments of deep disagreements, our countries have managed to avoid nuclear disaster.”
The appeal for action came after US and Russian officials met in Riyadh, where they conferred on the cessation of the war in Ukraine and committed to further dialogue. The State Department has, however, not made any statements regarding whether negotiations involving the New START treaty were included in those talks.
First signed in 2010 and renewed in 2021 for five years, New START caps deployed strategic nuclear warheads and contains verification provisions. Although Russia has indicated a desire to maintain the treaty’s restrictions, lawmakers emphasized the need for formal talks to avoid a new arms race.
They called for Rubio to collaborate with Congress in substituting the treaty and asked for a State Department briefing on the strategy of the administration ahead.
