Kremlin Warns Nuclear Weapons Are the World’s “Only” Shield as Global Arms Control Unravels

The Kremlin has issued one of its starkest assessments yet of the global security landscape, declaring that nuclear weapons are now the “only” barrier preventing the world from sliding into a full‑scale global war. The warning comes amid growing fears of a renewed multi‑nation arms race following the collapse of the last major US‑Russia nuclear treaty.

Speaking at a foreign policy forum in Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the international security system is “eroding,” with no effective safeguards left after the expiration of the New START treaty in February. The lapse removed the final remaining limits on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals.

“In fact, we have nothing left in this world apart from nuclear deterrence. It’s the only thing that protects the world from a global war,” Peskov said, adding that rapid technological advances could soon produce non‑nuclear weapons with destructive power comparable to nuclear arms.

The comments underscore the deepening uncertainty since New START signed in 2010 and capping each side at 1,550 deployed warheads expired without renewal. Despite agreeing to resume high‑level military talks, Washington and Moscow have shown no sign of negotiating a replacement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly invoked nuclear rhetoric throughout his four‑year offensive in Ukraine, drawing sharp criticism from Western governments who accuse Moscow of dangerous escalation.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has pushed for any future treaty to include China, whose nuclear arsenal is expanding but remains far smaller than those of Russia and the United States. Beijing has rejected the idea outright. Moscow insists that if China is included, then Britain and France both US allies must also be part of any new agreement.

The expiration of New START marks the first time in decades that no treaty exists to limit the deployment of nuclear weapons. Before its collapse, both sides accused each other of violating the agreement, further eroding trust.

As global tensions rise and arms control frameworks crumble, Peskov’s remarks highlight a sobering reality: the world’s nuclear powers are drifting into uncharted and potentially perilous territory.