GENEVA: The United States demanded new nuclear arms talks including Russia and China on Friday. This comes after the New START treaty expired on Thursday. The treaty had limited the US and Russia to 1,550 nuclear warheads each. Thomas DiNanno, US undersecretary of state for arms control, said the treaty had “fundamental flaws” and called for a new, modern agreement. He said any future deal must include China. DiNanno said, “Serial Russian violations, growth of more worldwide stockpiles and flaws in New START’s design and implementation gives the United States a clear imperative to call for a new architecture that addresses the threats of today, not those of a bygone era.” The end of the treaty leaves the world without arms control limits, raising fears of a new arms race. President Donald Trump refused Russia’s offer to extend the treaty and wants a “new, improved and modernised treaty”. DiNanno said a bilateral deal isn’t enough because China’s nuclear weapons are growing fast. “As we sit here today, China’s entire nuclear arsenal has no limits, no transparency, no declarations, had no controls,” he warned. In a bold claim, DiNanno accused China of carrying out a secret “yield-producing” nuclear test on June 22, 2020. This accusation marks a sharp increase in tensions between the nuclear powers. The call for a three-way treaty shows the high stakes in global nuclear arms control after New START’s end.