Challenges to Deep Cuts

For several years, more and more arms control treaties have been eroding and nuclear disarmament is in a deep crisis. The goal of this research and transfer project is to analyze obstacles to U.S.-Russian nuclear and conventional disarmament, to strengthen the European security and arms control dialogue, and to develop concrete solutions and risk-reduction measures that reduce the potential for military misunderstandings in the short term and aim to cut existing nuclear stockpiles in the long term.

The Deep Cuts Commission was established in 2013 and is coordinated by IFSH. The project partner is the independent Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C.

The project is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

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News

After the New START Treaty

Deep Cuts Fact Sheet, published: 15. September 2025

Russian response to US mid-range missiles in Germany

Escalation risks of hypersonic boost-glide vehicles

What happens without the New START Treaty?

Video Online: "It's (not) rocket science" - rocket potentials explained in an understandable way

New Deep Cuts Working Paper on Transparency, Ambiguity, and Prospects for New International Commitments in the Nuclear Realm

Statement on the Postponement of the Meeting of the New START Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC)

Deep Cuts Commission members at NPT Review Conference call for resumption of arms control talks

A Stress Test for Nuclear Deterrence - Article in IPS

IFSH Scientists at UN Conference on Disarmament in New York

Statement by the Deep Cuts Commission on Defusing the Ukraine Crisis through Arms Control  

New Young Deep Cuts Policy Brief

Deep Cuts Briefing on Strategic Stability

New Young Deep Cuts Policy Brief

The Humanitarian Dimension of Nuclear Deterrence and Disarmament – New Young Deep Cuts Policy Brief

Statement by the Deep Cuts Commission “How the U.S.-Russian Strategic Stability Dialogue Can and Must Make Progress”

IFSH researcher becomes part of the Réseau Nucléaire et Stratégie - Nouvelle Génération

First Young Deep Cuts Policy Brief out now: Immediate Priorities for US-Russian Arms Control

New Deep Cuts Working Paper #14 “Missile Defense and the Offense-Defense Relationship”

Deep Cuts Briefing on Missile Defense

The Deep Cuts Project introduces its new young commission

Statement by the Deep Cuts Commission on nuclear arms control

Event Info: Deep Cuts Briefing about NATO and US-Russian Summit

Statement by the Deep Cuts Commission

Deep Cuts Issue Brief #15: The TPNW and the NPT

New Deep Cuts Issue Briefs out now

Deep Cuts Briefing with former Deputy Secretary General of NATO Gottemoeller

Public Briefing: Whither New START?

Issue Brief: Nuclear Weapons in Europe after the INF Treaty

How to fix, preserve and strengthen the Open Skies Treaty?

New Issue Brief of the Deep Cuts Project about the Treaty on Open Skies

Deep Cuts

Deep Cuts Panel at UN Conference in New York City

Deep Cuts Report in Moscow Released

Third Report of the Deep Cuts Commission Released

New Deep Cuts Working Paper on Anticipatory Arms Control released

The Offense/Defense Problem: How Missile Defense and Conventional Precision-Guided Weapons Can Complicate Further Deep Cuts in Nuclear Weapons

Two Workshops of the Deep Cuts Commission

New Publication: Deep Cuts Issue Brief on Cyber Security and Nuclear Stability

New Deep Cuts Issue Brief on Conventional Arms Control in Europe

New Deep Cuts Issue Brief on U.S.-Russian Nuclear Security Cooperation

Presentation of the 2nd Report of the Deep Cuts Commission in New York

New Report of the Deep Cuts Commission Released

Deep Cuts Commissioners Met in Washington

Saving the INF Treaty

New Deep Cuts Working Paper by Alexey Arbatov

New Deep Cuts Issue Brief by Victor Mizin

Deep Cuts Commission Convenes Again in Hamburg

IFAR at International Expert Meeting on Missile Defense

Deep Cuts Issue Brief Analyzes Russia's Nuclear Posture

Deep Cuts Commissioners Met in Moscow

Deep Cuts Report Presented in New York

Deep Cuts Report presented at Brookings

Release of the Deep Cuts Working Paper #2

First Workshop of the Deep Cuts Commission

New Publication: U.S. Nuclear Force Structure and Deep Reductions

Project on Challenges to Deep Nuclear Cuts Launched

Project participants

Dr. Tobias Fella
Senior Researcher
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Lucian Bumeder
Researcher
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Lina Grob
Research Assistant
Xiaodon Liang
external Senior Policy Analyst