ABM, SALT, INF, New START: These letter abbreviations stand for decisive milestones in arms control, which were preceded by years of arduous diplomatic negotiations. Frequently, political crises and near-disasters during the Cold War were the trigger and catalyst for new arms control agreements aimed at reducing the possibility and danger of nuclear weapons deployment.
Now all major bilateral agreements between the two largest nuclear powers, the USA and Russia, are gradually being dropped. In an interview with the digital portal "Vox", Ulrich Kühn describes the political consequences that a departure from arms control could have. The last remaining agreement, the "New START" treaty, which limits the number of American and Russian nuclear warheads, expires in February 2021. So far, the Trump administration does not seem willing to extend the treaty for another five years. While the Russian government is showing its willingness, Washington is striving for a trilateral agreement that also includes the Chinese nuclear arsenal.
Read the full article here: "The end of arms control as we know it"