Unfold Zero Newsletter
Posted: 3rd February 2026
UNFOLD ZERO Newsletter
What Now?
New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between USA and Russia, expires on February 4:
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Youth Fusion explores the new environment for
Negotiating Nuclear Risk
The New START treaty, the last remaining agreement constraining Russian and US nuclear weapons, is due to lapse on February 4. There are no negotiations to extend the terms of the treaty. As US President Donald Trump said dismissively in a recent interview, “if it expires, it expires”.
The importance of the New START treaty is hard to overstate. As other nuclear treaties have been abrogated in recent years, this was the only deal left with notification, inspection, verification and treaty compliance mechanisms between Russia and the US. Between them, they possess 87% of the world’s nuclear weapons.
The demise of the treaty will bring a definitive and alarming end to nuclear restraint between the two powers. It may very well accelerate the global nuclear arms race.
This situation is one of the key reasons that on January 27, 2026, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists reset the Doomsday Clock to 85 Seconds to Midnight.
Last year, Senator Markey, Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, introduced draft legislation urging the US government to negotiate new post-START agreements with Russia and China. The legislation is supported by a number of other Senators and by a companion bill in the House of Representatives. But this seems to have fallen on deaf ears in the Trump Administration.
Meanwhile, Youth Fusion, a global youth network established by Abolition 2000, launched Youth Hotline Campaign – Negotiating Nuclear Risk, an inter-active process for university students and young professionals to explore dynamics of nuclear negotiations in the new political environment.
Join the Youth Hotline Campaign webinar:
Negotiating Nuclear Risk
Saturday February 7, 202610am – 11:20am Eastern Time / 4pm to 5:20 pm CET
Registration link
In an era of increased tensions and divisions, Youth Fusion has created an innovative space for youth to learn and engage in nuclear diplomacy across political divides. Inspired by the historic 1963 US-Soviet hotline, this project has offered a unique learning-by-doing experience designed to promote practical engagement rather than passive learning.
Over the past three months, participants have been immersed in nuclear risk reduction and non-proliferation, as well as the intricacies of diplomacy and negotiation. They learned from informal training sessions and directly from experts in the field, and put these lessons into practice through a simulation game inspired by a real-world hypothetical nuclear crisis scenario.
Now, Youth Fusion participants are ready to share their insights. Join the event to hear their reflections on nuclear risk, their strategies for overcoming negotiation impasses, and their takeaways for an alternative narrative in nuclear affairs.
For more information see: Youth Hotline Campaign – Negotiating Nuclear Risk Feb 7 event page. Yours sincerely
UNFOLD ZERO