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https://voennoedelo.com/en/posts/id12554-after-start-ritter-on-us-russia-nuclear-balance-talks

After START: Ritter on US-Russia Nuclear Balance Talks

Ritter Warns of Nuclear Arms Growth After START Expiration

After START: Ritter on US-Russia Nuclear Balance Talks

Scott Ritter says Russia and the United States must curb nuclear arsenal growth after START and seek a new strategic balance through direct dialogue.

2026-01-27T05:39:04+03:00

2026-01-27T05:39:04+03:00

2026-01-27T05:39:04+03:00

After the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the central challenge for Russia and the United States is to prevent an uncontrolled expansion of nuclear arsenals and to redefine a stable strategic balance. This view was expressed by former U.S. intelligence officer and military analyst Scott Ritter. In an interview with RIA Novosti, Ritter argued that the immediate priority should be to restrain the growth of nuclear weapons and ensure it does not spiral out of control. He stressed the need to rethink what strategic nuclear balance means under current conditions, rather than allowing numerical increases to dictate policy. Ritter also pointed out that modernizing the U.S. nuclear arsenal is an objective necessity. At the same time, he warned that this process must not turn into an unchecked arms race on either side. As a possible way forward, he highlighted the prospect of new agreements between Moscow and Washington, similar to those concluded by the USSR and the United States in the 1970s. According to him, those arrangements later laid the groundwork for the strategic arms reduction treaties of the 1980s and 1990s. Concluding his assessment, Ritter said that in today’s strategic nuclear environment, the United States and Russia are compelled to look for ways to improve relations. In his view, this can only be achieved through direct dialogue between the two countries.

START treaty, nuclear arms control, US-Russia relations, strategic nuclear balance, Scott Ritter, nuclear arsenals, arms race prevention, Moscow Washington dialogue

2026

William Moore

news

Ritter Warns of Nuclear Arms Growth After START Expiration

RusPhotoBank

William Moore, Editor

08:39 27-01-2026

Scott Ritter says Russia and the United States must curb nuclear arsenal growth after START and seek a new strategic balance through direct dialogue.

After the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the central challenge for Russia and the United States is to prevent an uncontrolled expansion of nuclear arsenals and to redefine a stable strategic balance. This view was expressed by former U.S. intelligence officer and military analyst Scott Ritter.

In an interview with RIA Novosti, Ritter argued that the immediate priority should be to restrain the growth of nuclear weapons and ensure it does not spiral out of control. He stressed the need to rethink what strategic nuclear balance means under current conditions, rather than allowing numerical increases to dictate policy.

Ritter also pointed out that modernizing the U.S. nuclear arsenal is an objective necessity. At the same time, he warned that this process must not turn into an unchecked arms race on either side. As a possible way forward, he highlighted the prospect of new agreements between Moscow and Washington, similar to those concluded by the USSR and the United States in the 1970s. According to him, those arrangements later laid the groundwork for the strategic arms reduction treaties of the 1980s and 1990s.

Concluding his assessment, Ritter said that in today’s strategic nuclear environment, the United States and Russia are compelled to look for ways to improve relations. In his view, this can only be achieved through direct dialogue between the two countries.