Press Release: 10/19/2025
Senator Markey Leads Colleagues in Urging Trump Administration to Follow Nuclear Treaty with Russia
Unless action is taken soon, there will be no agreed limits on U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear forces for the first time in decades
Washington (October 17, 2025) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.)—co-chairs of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group—today led a bipartisan group of colleagues in writing to Secretary of State Marco Rubio requesting that the Trump administration work with Russia to continue adhering to the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) after it expires on February 5, 2026. If no action is taken by then, there will be no agreed limits on U.S. and Russian nuclear forces for the first time in decades.
In the letter, the lawmakers write, “With time running short, we urge the Administration to continue adhering to New START’s central limits on deployed warheads and to actively engage with Russia on a successor treaty. Russia’s recent offer to continue adhering to New START limits presents an opportunity for an interim understanding that would allow time to reach a new agreement and help to prevent a dangerous and costly arms race between the United States and Russia.”
The lawmakers continued, “President Trump has recently spoken about the dangers of New START’s expiration. When asked about New START in July, President Trump said ‘that’s not an agreement you want expiring. We're starting to work on that.’ ‘It’s a problem for the world,’ Trump said, referring to New START’s expiration, ‘when you take off nuclear restrictions, that's a big problem.’ Earlier this month, in reference to adhering to New START for an additional year, President Trump said: ‘It sounds like a good idea to me.’”
The lawmakers concluded, “Although an informal agreement to abide by New START is the strongest interim approach, we believe it is in the best interest of both of our nations to also pursue formal mechanisms aimed at preventing a nuclear arms race. An unconstrained arms race would make the United States less secure and increase the risks to global security.”
The letter was also signed by Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) as well as Representatives Bill Foster (IL-11), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), and Jim McGovern (MA-02).
Senator Markey has been a champion in advocating for US-Russian talks to replace New START. In July 2025, Senator Markey introduced the Senate companion to H.Res.317, urging the United States to lead the world in halting the nuclear arms race. In February 2025, Senator Markey introduced a resolution to recommit the United States to an arms control agreement, one year ahead of the expiration of the New START Treaty.