NPT Summit Begins at UN as Nuclear Risks Escalate Worldwide
AFP
New York: Signatories to the landmark Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are set to convene at the United Nations (UN) on Monday, as growing geopolitical tensions and fading hopes of consensus cast a shadow over the four-week conference.
The meeting comes at a time of heightened concern over nuclear risks, with António Guterres previously warning that humanity stands “one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation” during the last review conference in 2022.
Since then, the global security environment has deteriorated further. Izumi Nakamitsu said there is now a widespread “sense of crisis” among member states, pointing to the absence of arms control agreements between the world’s two largest nuclear powers following the expiration of the New START Treaty earlier this year.
She also warned of a quantitative increase in nuclear arsenals across all nuclear-armed states, marking a reversal of the post-Cold War trend toward disarmament.
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The NPT, widely regarded as the cornerstone of global non-proliferation efforts, seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote disarmament, and encourage peaceful nuclear cooperation. However, key countries including India, Pakistan, and Israel remain outside the treaty framework.
According to the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the world’s nine nuclear-armed states collectively possessed 12,241 nuclear warheads as of January 2025. The United States and Russia account for nearly 90 percent of that total, with both countries pursuing extensive modernization programs.
China has also significantly expanded its nuclear capabilities in recent years, prompting concern among G7 nations. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has indicated plans to resume nuclear testing, citing similar actions by other countries.
In Europe, Emmanuel Macron recently announced plans to bolster France’s nuclear deterrent, including an expansion of its current arsenal of approximately 290 warheads.
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Observers warn that the treaty itself could be at risk if divisions persist. Seth Sheldon of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons noted that trust is eroding both within and outside the NPT framework, raising doubts about the conference’s ability to produce a consensus outcome.
Previous review conferences in 2015 and 2022 failed to adopt final declarations due to disagreements over Middle East nuclear policy and the conflict in Ukraine, respectively.
This year’s talks face multiple potential flashpoints, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, Iran’s nuclear program, North Korea’s expanding arsenal, and broader fears of proliferation among non-nuclear states.
Christopher King warned that while the treaty may not collapse immediately, repeated failures could gradually weaken its foundation.
Emerging challenges such as the role of artificial intelligence in nuclear command systems are also expected to feature prominently, with some countries advocating for strict human control over nuclear weapons.
As negotiations begin, diplomats face mounting pressure to bridge deep divisions and prevent further erosion of one of the world’s most critical arms control agreements.
