President Donald Trump told the New York Times in January that he wants to negotiate a better treaty than New START, a message he repeated on February 5, the day the treaty went out of force. Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson, added, “The president wants to have our nuclear experts work on a new improved and modernized treaty that can last long into the future. And that’s what the United States will continue to discuss with the Russians.”

All of this is welcome. Many have complained that New START does not limit nonstrategic nuclear weapons, nor does it limit so-called Russian exotic weapon systems. It was not designed to do so. The United States’ goal has always been to take up nonstrategic nuclear weapons in the next negotiations, as called for in the resolution of ratification of New START. As for the exotic systems, they appeared on the scene after New START entered into force, and of course, they must be accounted for in any new treaty.

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