"Given the growing strength of the Russia-China entente and China’s expanding nuclear-weapons and ballistic-missile programs, Cold War-style, U.S.-Russia arms agreements are not merely inadvisable but dangerous," Bolton wrote in an op-ed in American media.
He argued that President Vladimir Putin suspending Russia’s participation in the New START pact was a wake-up call for the United States to understand that it could not rein in its nuclear rivals through arms agreements. He noted that the treaty only addressed strategic and not tactical nuclear weapons, excluding new technologies such as hypersonic missiles. He also warned that China, which has refused to sign similar agreements, was likely aiming to grow its nuclear assets beyond a point for them to be meaningfully reined in by negotiations.
Bolton warned that even if the US was victorious in a nuclear confrontation with Russia, it could face a subsequent confrontation with China. Alternatively, it could face a nuclear confrontation against an allied China and Russia.
He called for the US to "urgently recalibrate its warhead and delivery-system requirements" and boost its nuclear assets for deterrence and self-defense. He argued it was preferable to have sufficient arms on hand and limit them rather than to not have enough and allow Russia and China the upper hand.
In a state-of-the-nation address last month, President Putin said Russia is suspending its participation in New START. Putin said any Russian return to talks would require clarity about how NATO's combined nuclear strike potential would be taken into account.
The Russian president said that NATO members act as if there is no connection between the issues of New START and the Ukraine conflict as well as other hostile actions against Moscow.