The world has lurched a step closer to the prospect of nuclear war, say researchers, after Russia declared last month that it would suspend its participation in its last major nuclear-arms treaty with the United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement will formally end inspections under an agreement known as the New START treaty (Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms).

The inspection programme had allowed scientists on both sides to verify that the other was complying with the agreement. The move comes amid soaring tensions between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine.

New START limits Russia and the United States to 1,550 strategic warheads each, but has been facing challenges for years. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a pause in weapons inspections, and they have not restarted since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

US US government officials said in January that Russia was in violation of the treaty because it would not allow inspections to resume. However, Russia’s official suspension of the inspections is another blow to international efforts to control nuclear weapons, say experts, who worry that the world’s largest nuclear powers will not be subject to any arms-control obligations once New START expires in three years — or even sooner.

The following submission statement was provided by /u/filosoful:

The world has lurched a step closer to the prospect of nuclear war, say researchers, after Russia declared last month that it would suspend its participation in its last major nuclear-arms treaty with the United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement will formally end inspections under an agreement known as the New START treaty (Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms).

The inspection programme had allowed scientists on both sides to verify that the other was complying with the agreement. The move comes amid soaring tensions between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine.

New START limits Russia and the United States to 1,550 strategic warheads each, but has been facing challenges for years. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a pause in weapons inspections, and they have not restarted since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

US US government officials said in January that Russia was in violation of the treaty because it would not allow inspections to resume. However, Russia’s official suspension of the inspections is another blow to international efforts to control nuclear weapons, say experts, who worry that the world’s largest nuclear powers will not be subject to any arms-control obligations once New START expires in three years — or even sooner.

Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/11l1wle/is_nuclear_war_more_likely_after_russias/jb9y354/

> Is nuclear war more likely after Russia's suspension of the New START treaty?

No but Putin wants you to think so. It's more likely to result in the US producing more nukes.

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Let's put it this way - the New Start Treaty did not make Nuclear war less likely. This treaty was never keeping us from Nuclear war and its undoing does not make it more likely.

Its posturing. Neither side has been keeping completely honest with that and lots of agreements have been broken surrounding this war in Ukraine on both sides. He lost more soldiers in 2 months than US in 20 YEARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN and way more than we lost in 9 yrs Vietnam in 1 year in Ukraine.

We are closer to nuclear war today than we have been since the Cuban crisis.

There's the obvious danger, and there's also accidental danger. When nuclear nations are on the edge already, accidents are more likely. Like in the past: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Arkhipov#:~:text=Vasily%20Aleksandrovich%20Arkhipov%20(Russian%3A%20%D0%92%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B9,during%20the%20Cuban%20Missile%20Crisis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov#Incident

Next false alarm the person who could save the world might not refuse orders.

I worry the more we roll the dice the more likely we'll get snake eyes.

more likely that Russia stops maintaining its nuclear weapons and sells parts off to the hughest bidder.

IF Putin calls on a nuclear strike I think one of his generals will take him out, they also have families that are safe....for now...but nobody is if nuclear weapons are used and they are very much aware of that.

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