The United States and Russia will hold talks next month on the New START nuclear arms control treaty, the White House said Saturday, as the pact moves closer to its scheduled expiration in February 2026.

The agreement is the last remaining major arms control deal between the two countries, which together hold the world’s largest nuclear arsenals. Any discussion over its future carries major security implications, especially as tensions remain high between Washington and Moscow.

The White House did not immediately disclose the agenda or the level of representation for the talks. But the meeting signals that both sides are at least willing to reopen a channel on nuclear limits, even as broader relations remain strained by war, sanctions, and military buildup.

New START caps deployed strategic nuclear weapons and includes verification measures that have long been seen as essential for transparency. If the treaty is not extended or replaced, one of the few remaining restraints on the U.S. and Russian nuclear standoff could disappear.