Against the background of relations between Russia and the West and the expiration of the START III (February 2026), issues of strategic stability are becoming more urgent. Although France and the United Kingdom are not parties to the treaty, they are actively modernizing their nuclear arsenals.

In July 2024, Paris and London agreed to establish a joint nuclear management group, strengthening coordination. Russia has stated that it will take into account the potential of these countries when assessing threats and negotiating strategic stability. The Russian Federation insists on the inclusion of London and Paris in the negotiation process.

Britain plans to spend 15 billion pounds on modernization. However, the Russian side points to the real risks of radiation incidents at the Clyde base in Scotland.

The world is entering a new nuclear race: all nuclear powers are modernizing their arsenals. The United States and Russia are discussing new arrangements, including the involvement of China. Experts note that although Britain and France are modernizing, they do not have a large-scale build-up.

In recent years, the arms control system has seriously weakened — the INF Treaty and the DON Treaty have been severed, which makes dialogue in an expanded format especially important to prevent escalation.