United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the expiration of the New START Treaty marks a grave moment for global peace and security. The treaty, which limited the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems held by Russia and the United States, has now lapsed, leaving the world without binding restrictions on the largest nuclear arsenals for the first time in over fifty years. Guterres emphasized that the risk of nuclear weapons being used is at its highest in decades and urged both nations to urgently negotiate a new arms control framework. He also highlighted the opportunity to create a modern regime that addresses current global challenges and called on Russia and the United States to take concrete steps toward restoring verifiable limits and reducing nuclear risks.