MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. The world requires new arms control agreements as nuclear deterrence weakens; NATO’s increased Black Sea presence raises the risk of military incidents; and the Iran-Oman deal on the Strait of Hormuz offers a breakthrough but raises questions. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: World requires new arms control agreements as nuclear deterrence erodes
The global nuclear arms control system is undergoing a crisis. Experts note that most of the achievements attained in this field so far have largely been undermined, Izvestia reports.
More than 80 years after the August 1945 atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the network of international treaties formed on their ruins is showing major cracks. An increasing number of countries are coming to regard nuclear weapons as the only guarantee of sovereignty, according to Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of parliament.
The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last remaining agreement limiting the strategic nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States, expired in February 2026. No negotiations on a successor treaty are currently underway, as Washington insists that China also take on nuclear arms control commitments. Beijing has rejected the demand, arguing that its nuclear arsenal is not comparable to those of Russia and the US, while Moscow insists that the British and French capabilities should also be considered.
