US, Russia near temporary renewal of New START ahead of deadline
The United States and Russia are close to a draft plan to extend the New START nuclear pact beyond its expiration, with leaders expected to approve it; the extension would be a non-formal, six-month arrangement to observe treaty limits while negotiations on a longer-term agreement continue, preserving caps on strategic warheads and ongoing transparency. Talks occurred in Abu Dhabi alongside a resumption of military dialogue, but China’s exclusion from any future pact remains a key complicating factor.