Ankara:United Nations UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called upon the United States and Russia to negotiate a new framework to replace the expired New START Treaty, citing escalating nuclear arsenals and weakened safeguards as growing threats to global security.

According to Anadolu Agency, Guterres emphasized the urgency of the situation during a UN General Assembly meeting focused on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. He highlighted that the expiration of the New START Treaty earlier this year has left strategic nuclear arsenals without binding limits for the first time in over 50 years, threatening both nuclear and international security.

The New START Treaty, initially signed in 2010 and effective from 2011, succeeded previous treaties aimed at reducing nuclear arms between the US and Russia. However, Guterres warned that current advancements in nuclear technology and arsenal expansions increase the risk of errors and misjudgments.

Guterres further noted that recent diplomatic efforts, such as the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the UN Disarmament Commission's latest cycle, have failed to yield substantive results, indicating serious concerns for global peace.

UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman added that, as of January 2026, the global nuclear arsenal includes over 12,000 warheads, with a significant number on high alert, poised for rapid launch. He expressed concern that for the first time since the Cold War, the global nuclear stockpile is expected to increase.

Rahman also reported that global military spending reached nearly $3 trillion in 2025, marking a continuous rise. He reinforced the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in preventing nuclear proliferation and advancing disarmament, advocating for a world free from nuclear threats.