Chairman Mast, Rep. Self pledge to work closely with Trump admin on modernizing arms control approach ahead of New START Treaty expiration

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self pledged to work alongside the Trump administration in meaningfully modernizing the United States’ arms control and risk reduction approaches amid increasing challenges posed by Russia, China, and other adversaries.

In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio the lawmakers underscored Russia’s blatant violations of the New START Treaty, an Obama-era negotiated arms control agreement set to expire on February 5, 2026.

The agreement, which entered into force in 2011, has attempted to set verifiable limits on deployed nuclear warheads and delivery systems, while ensuring transparency through inspections, notifications and data exchanges. But the lawmakers note that Russia has repeatedly exploited the terms of the agreement, while placing constraints on the United States.

“It is long past time to recognize that the New START Treaty no longer advances meaningful nuclear arms control with the Russian Federation, nor contributes to the broader goal of international denuclearization,” the lawmakers wrote.

Among the concerns raised by the lawmakers, is Russia’s suspension of its inspection and data-exchange obligations under New START in 2022, which have weakened the treaty’s transparency mechanisms and raised doubts about Moscow’s willingness to abide by its commitment.

“The Trump administration has rightly emphasized that arms control agreements are ineffective without robust verification measures and a commitment to enforcing compliance,” the lawmakers wrote. “Further, such weak agreements offer a false sense of safety rather than actually addressing international security challenges, as seen in Moscow’s Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces or INF Treaty violations and development of banned missiles for nuclear coercion.”

Russia’s disregard for the agreement, the lawmakers note, reflects a broader pattern of destabilizing behavior that complicates arms-control diplomacy and heightens the risk of miscalculation.

Additionally, the lawmakers underscored the growing arms-control challenges posed by other U.S. adversaries, including China and North Korea. China’s nuclear arsenal has reached over 600 operational warheads. Beijing is also on track to field 1,000 weapons by 2030. For the first time in the nuclear age, the U.S. faces two nuclear peer adversaries—Russia and China—while also confronting rising threats from smaller, unpredictable nuclear powers like North Korea, as well as aspiring actors, such as Iran.

In their letter, the lawmakers note that they are encouraged by the Trump administration’s efforts to address these challenges, including the confirmation of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security which will ensure the necessary personnel are in place to review, negotiate and enforce future arms control agreements.

“The Committee stands ready to work with the Trump administration and its efforts to modernize arms-control approaches to incorporate these critical developments, consistent with President Trump’s emphasis on responsible risk reduction,” the lawmakers wrote.
 

Read the full text of the letter here:

###