Editorial: A new New START is welcome

February 1 , 2021

The United States and Russian Federation agreed to extend by five years New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), allowing for each to continue performing onsite verification of the other’s arsenal, which Komeito believes is particularly meaningful.

The target numbers of nuclear warheads and delivery systems have already been achieved, but America and Russia have been modernizing their respective nuclear arsenals while pursuing new strategic weapons. Onsite verification should help ensure that both parties adhere to treaty terms and make more transparent their respective nuclear weapons development programs.

Our hope is that New START is only the beginning to even further reductions and pave the way for new agreements in both strategic and tactical weapons that include other nuclear states over the next five years.