A new START to begin with: recent developments in US-Russian strategic nuclear arms reductions

Nuclear arms control is high on the international agenda again. With START expired, the US and Russia have been taking more time than envisaged to negotiate a START follow-on treaty. The agreed further reductions are far from impressive. As regards future nuclear arms reductions, much will depend on the politicalstrategic climate between the US and Russia as well as on the regional (NATO) and global (nuclear non-proliferation) levels. Instead of fixating on the end-goal of a nuclear weapons free world, international attention should focus on the small but concrete legal steps towards meaningful nuclear arms reductions. The new START should be only the beginning.