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Why did the last US-Russia nuclear arms treaty lapse? | Inside Story
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- Published on Mar 14, 2026
- For more than five decades, nuclear arms control treaties were in force between Russia and the US- until this week. The last agreement has been allowed to lapse - without a new one to replace it. So, why has this happened - and what are the dangers?
Presenter: Tom McRae
Guests:
Thomas Countryman - former US Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation under the Obama administration.
Rebecca E Johnson - Co-founding first President of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
Nikolai Sokov - Senior Fellow at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.
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#NuclearArms #ArmsControl #USRussia #NuclearTreaty #ColdWarLegacy #GlobalSecurity #NuclearWeapons #ArmsRace #StrategicStability #InternationalSecurity #AlJazeeraEnglish
Mighty Terror : "Why would mankind make weapons to destroy mankind?" (1954)
Because mankind is not one being with a unified interest. Many humans want to kill others or, at least, make credible threats to do so, in order to extract concessions.
absolute nonsense. just say the truth - US refused to sign. that's the reason this deal has lapsed
A great, enlightening discussion about all that will not happen ....
Nuclear warheads must be destroyed or be disarmed..it could destroy mankind, and the world..we must be a nuclear weapons free world, life is precious, why destroy it..
There is no victory in Nuclear War only the death of everyone.
No one wins except the rocks.
When journalists ask them questions, they wonder why they don't hear the answer to the end
We'll sign a "No First Strike" agreement with other countries then race them to see who can do it, first.
Weapons of mass destruction that's dangerous weapons..
'Nuclear weapons are a very bad way to deter a nuclear attack'. OK. What is the good way, then?
Not building them 🤦♂️
@DrScott666 That strategy totally failed for Japan. Not having built any nuclear bomb themselves, they suffered two nuclear attacks.
Wishing from Germany 🇩🇪 ✨️
Middle East is primed for inferno! Gulf states are going to be the victims. Capital flight from the region is massively underway. Today’s prosperous GCC Nations will come to utter destruction, kind of what is happening like in the other affected regions there. Iran in effect declared war, not warning. Any misstep by US or Israel will trigger the mother of all wars in the Middle East. First American bases followed by GCC cities and installations as war fury ignites restraint will give way to vengeance! Who can save the situation? Only US and Iran themselves! Ratcheting up war cry from both sides must stop. Common sense must prevail. Loud mouthing and blackmail from Trump and Israel must immediately stop. Stich the mouth of both. Iran is reciprocating the threats rather than initiating. China and Russia will back up Iran with all their might because this is the opportunity both were waiting. Bogging down US in the Middle East will make China’s dream realize in Taiwan. Where are the American think-tanks and intelligence at work? Decisions from DC is not intelligence and strategic based but emotional and impulsive outbursts! Dangerous to think!!!
Nuclear dangerous for all world
WHY KENNEDY. WAS. ASSASSINATED BY THE CIA ?
Noore restraint on gog in ezeKiel 38 or four angels horse and riders of the Euphrates of revelation 9:13-19. Resurrection and ascension 31/2 days after destruction of city mentioned in revelation 11:3-12/ destruction of usa as per Daniel 11:45& Jeremiah 51 aka BRICS/ Iran hitting usa.
The world nuclear Giants(Russia and US) are drunk with power , Nuclear weapons offers nothing other than terror and wiping out of earth civilisation. Earth is the play ground of our children and their children. We cannot allow it to be the play ground of the nuclear arms of the evil forces.
AJ is NOT banned in Moscow---why always give their viewership western opinions in partinent issues, are it's qatari owners that much in bed with the west...???
The reason the USA lapsed it is because they’re too concerned about Israelis problem. Smh.
New START lapsed mainly because of U.S.-Russia breakdown and Moscow’s suspension, not Israel. Any Israel-related concern would have been indirect-at most reinforcing a general desire for maximum nuclear flexibility amid global instability, including Iran’s nuclear trajectory and its implications for Israel-rather than a primary driver of the decision.
Nuclear weapons nations will never be attacked by Americans or Russians North Korea knows too well ,after libya ,Syria, Afghanistan, iraq.
If you people think that packed meant anything you're crazy. You lost me think you can trust Russia and China. Or I ran. Know that stuff means anything when it comes down to it.😮
The world needs to put max pressure on China to stop this buildup and sign a treaty. I do not want to see global stockpiles increased by another third.
Looking at the relationships between Trump Putin and Xi visiting each other. Xi actually invited both Trump and Putin to visit Beijing in April. It doesn’t look like they will start launching nuclear strikes at each other!
US has small warheads neither china
False. The U.S. has ~3,700 nuclear warheads (about 1,700 deployed), which is more than enough to destroy all major cities, collapse global civilization, and cause catastrophic climate effects (“nuclear winter”)
Stupid US use nuclear bomb.. cannot use nuclear weapons in the world
The cause and foundation of the problem is Italy and France Paris, Torino Taranto Sardegna Napoli Napolitano's America Rome?!!;
France, as an independent nuclear power, is sometimes cited by Russia as evidence that U.S.-Russia limits ignore other nuclear states, while Italy, as a NATO non-nuclear state hosting U.S. nuclear weapons under sharing arrangements, factors into broader NATO-Russia tensions. But these are background arguments, not drivers-the treaty’s collapse was overwhelmingly about U.S.-Russia relations, trust, verification, and the Ukraine war.
With China, India, Pakistan and NK not being part of those treaties it is in neither the US nor Russia's interest to continue with them.
The USA and Russia have no reason to develop additional nuclear warheads when they both already possess the capacity to blow up every major US city in the world. They should lead by example while trying to be diplomatic with additional countries.
God bless Russian, Glory to Russian in Jesus Mighty Name Amen, Salam Alaikum, wa Alaikum Salaam!!!
For me, no country must posses nuclear weapons.
Very very very dangerous.
It looks like Trump thinks that building more inventory to surpass Russia nuclear arsenal makes the world safer. The world has already inventory to blow everything up 100 times over.
Because the USA is in the process of collapsing the way the Soviet Union did so how can countries that have collapsed sign any kind of nuclear deal
Collapsed? The U.S. military budget is so outsized it borders on absurd: the United States spends more than the next several countries combined, dwarfing allies and adversaries alike, while already possessing overwhelming conventional and nuclear superiority. It’s less about defense at this point and more about inertia, politics, and a defense-industrial ecosystem that keeps growing regardless of actual security needs-especially jarring when compared to chronic underfunding of infrastructure, healthcare, and education at home.
😀😂😂😂😂 putler 100000 times repeat use nuclear weapons against NATO and USA now crying about USA not signing this deal extension lol
Good for Russia and USA
Great👍 Can we just please hurry up and start WW3 already?
I TOTALLY disagree
THE USA. HAS. 750. MILITARES BASES. AROUND THE GLOBE WITH. HOW MANY NUKES ??????? NOBODY KNOWS
AND. ISRAEL ?????
NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE NECESSARY. FOR DETERRANCE
BRASIL. 🇧🇷 NEEDS TO BUILD. NUCLEAR. MISSILES OR THE. USA. WILL DO TO BRASIL. THE SAME THEY DID TO VENEZUELA
WE NEED MORE NUCLEAR MISSILES AS. A FORM OF DETERRANCE. AGAINST. THE USA. AND ISRAEL.
No dangers...Russia is weak.
Free Ukraine 💛💙✌✌
Bollocks
Amerika .... DUH!
Weirdo ads from weirdo Amerikans are, to be fair, non-nuclear ...
I doubt China will ever get to 70,000 ...
You sure😂
@Qusto1778Mebbe ...