Updated January 2025 The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a multilateral agreement that prohibits the explosive testing of nuclear weapons. The CTBT opened for signatures on September 24, 1996, but the agreement is still in the ratification stage. The United States has signed, but has not yet ratified the treaty. The United States conducted […]
Will North Korea be the Trump Administration’s Greatest Challenge?
North Korea fired a salvo of four ballistic missiles Monday morning around 7:30 am local time (5:30 pm Sunday EST). The missiles flew an average of 620 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan. A U.S. official noted that there was a fifth missile that failed to launch. While there is no evidence that […]
Fact Sheet: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty
Updated May 2025 The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF, or The Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles) was signed on December 8, 1987, and entered into force on June 1, 1988. The treaty required parties to eliminate nuclear and […]
Fact Sheet: The Treaty on Open Skies
Updated June 2021 The Treaty on Open Skies allows for states party to the treaty to conduct unarmed observation flights over the territory of other states to foster inter-military transparency and cooperation. The United States, Canada, and 22 European countries including Russia signed the treaty in Helsinki on March 24, 1992. The United States Senate […]
Fact Sheet: Understanding the New START Agreement
Updated February 2024 Background The United States and Russia signed the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) on April 8, 2010. The United States ratified the treaty on December 22, 2011 and it entered into force on February 5, 2011. The Russian Federation extended the treaty on January 27, 2021 and the United States […]
