The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series The End of Nuclear Arms Control || Peter Zeihan
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Feb 12, 2026 Discussion of the expiration of the last US‑Russia arms control pact and why no replacement exists. Examination of Russia’s actions, historical motives for treaties, and how inspections and trust have broken down. Exploration of how the war in Ukraine blocks negotiations and the countries most likely to pursue new nuclear arsenals. A forecast of a coming wave of proliferation.
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Bilateral Arms Control Has Ended
- The START treaty expired, leaving no active US-Russia nuclear arms control for the first time in decades.
- Peter Zeihan warns both sides now face no legal limits on expanding arsenals of 1,000–2,000 warheads.
Why Early Arms Control Favored Stability
- Russia sought arms control initially to blunt overwhelming US technological and alliance advantages during the Cold War.
- Zeihan explains treaties reduced tensions and enabled the end of the Cold War under Gorbachev and Yeltsin.
Russian Behavior Makes New Deals Unlikely
- Russia has repeatedly violated or tested treaty limits and now views nuclear threats as its key tool for status and deterrence.
- Zeihan argues that being in a hot war (Ukraine) makes Moscow unlikely to negotiate in good faith.