Russia intends to modernize its nuclear arsenal in response to significant dangers posed by the West.
In a recent development, Alexei Likhachev, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, has stated that the current geopolitical situation poses colossal threats to Russia's existence and that updates are necessary to improve its nuclear capabilities. This announcement comes less than a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump held a face-to-face meeting.
The meeting between Putin and Trump, held in Helsinki, seemed to yield little concrete progress in terms of a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. As the week progressed, hope for a resolution to the conflict declined. This was the first time a U.S. leader had met with the Kremlin chief since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
The New Start Treaty, the only bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia, set to expire in February 2026, remains uncertain. Moscow paused its participation in the treaty in 2023, but continued to recognise the warhead limits. Russia also suspended inspections under the treaty at this time.
The U.S., on the other hand, possesses more than 3,700 warheads, with over 1,400 deployed. In May, Donald Trump announced his plans to develop the "Golden Dome" missile defense system, which is expected to cost at least $175 billion.
Meanwhile, China's nuclear development is escalating, with the aim of breaking US alliances and dominating Asia, according to a report. The future of the New Start Treaty and the state of global nuclear arms remain topics of concern.
Caitlin McFall, a Reporter at the website Digital covering Politics, U.S. and World news, is monitoring these developments closely. It is unclear why Alexei Likhachev issued comments regarding Russia's nuclear program at this time, and he did not detail what sort of updates he would be looking to make to Moscow's "shield" program. However, he did emphasise that the nuclear shield is a guarantee of Russia's sovereignty.
As of 2025, there are 12,331 nuclear weapons worldwide. With ongoing tensions and the potential for nuclear arms races, the need for diplomatic resolution and arms control agreements is more pressing than ever.
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