Nuclear upgrade: Is there a new arms race after 2026?
Nuclear upgrade: Is there a new arms race after 2026?
The discussion about nuclear arms control between the United States and Russia increases in urgency, while the New Start Agreement, the last remaining contract on this topic, expires in early 2026. According to current reports, there are no signs of negotiations on renewal or a replacement of the agreement. According to the Kleine Zeitung, Sipri researcher Hans M. Kristensen is concerned about developments in the global nuclear landscape and explains that the era of the armed war has been observed since the cold war Now come to an end.
Dan Smith, the director of the Sipri, warns of a new nuclear arms and realizes that bilateral nuclear arms control between the great powers has come into a crisis. As early as February 2023, Russia suspended cooperation as part of the New Start Agreement and no longer approved the inspections from abroad, which further tightened the situation.
worldwide stocks and armor dynamics
The situation is reinforced by an increase in global nuclear weapons. It is estimated that there were a total of 12,241 nuclear explosive heads in January 2025, with around 9,614 in military stocks available for potential use. Of these, 3,912 explosive heads are ready for use, and around 2,100 are on ballistic rockets with a high alert. The Tagesschau emphasizes that the United States is willing to have discussions about nuclear risks in order to avoid possible conflicts after 2026. These conversations should also include multilateralization of armor monitoring and control in order to include China and other nuclear powers.
The rapid nuclear upgrade of China is also alarming. Jake Sullivan, the USA's national security advisor, warns that China could possibly have up to 1500 atomic explosive heads by 2035. This would force the United States to align its strategy for deterrent on two equivalent nuclear powers.
historical context of armaments control
Historically, the logical basis for the deterrent during the Cold War was characterized by a massive nuclear upgrade. The clears of the nuclear explosive heads were reached in 1986 when the United States had around 23,000 and the Soviet Union around 40,000 explosive heads. After the end of the Cold War there was significant progress in the disarmament, but followed by disillusionment and many setbacks, such as the termination of the Inf-Treaty by both countries in 2019.In addition, multilateral control has been stagnating since the 1990s, and the nuclear non -distribution agreement (NVV) adopted in 1968 provides for both disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Despite his global acceptance, with a few exceptions, the concerns about stagnating disarmament and the need to develop new approaches in the nuclear disarmament.
Overall, the future of global nuclear arms control is uncertain, and the international community is faced with the challenge of taking effective measures to prevent new nuclear upgrade and strengthen existing contracts.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Deutschland, Land |
| Quellen | |