All articles tagged with #non proliferation
The US is set to announce a 30-year deal permitting Saudi Arabia to pursue a civilian nuclear program, potentially including on-site uranium enrichment at a US-built facility; the arrangement could be worth billions to US firms but has sparked concerns among nuclear experts and Israel over possible weaponization, and it does not require Saudi-Israeli normalization, though it may face congressional scrutiny.
SIPRI Yearbook 2026 warns that states are increasingly relying on nuclear weapons, reversing post‑Cold War disarmament as arsenals are modernized and expanded. Global stockpiles stood at about 12,187 warheads in January 2026, with around 9,745 in military stockpiles and 4,012 deployed; roughly 2,100–2,200 deployed on high alert. Russia and the United States together hold about 83% of usable warheads. Major powers—US, Russia, China, UK, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel—are expanding and diversifying capabilities, while geopolitical tensions and the expiry of New START deepen uncertainty. The NPT Review Conference failed to produce a final outcome, signaling a weakening non-proliferation regime and raising the risk of miscalculation as dialogue erodes. SIPRI warns that increasing weaponization of security and trade, plus European moves toward greater nuclear sharing, could further destabilize strategic balance.
The Trump administration plans to give several private nuclear start-ups access to about 99 tons of Cold War–era plutonium to be repurposed as fuel for small modular reactors, aiming to spur nuclear energy and reduce reliance on Russian uranium. Critics warn this raises proliferation and security risks, questions feasibility and cost, and could send a counterproductive signal on disarmament, with concerns about safety, handling, and potential conflicts of interest.
Finland will relax its 1980 ban to allow import, transport and storage of nuclear weapons on Finnish soil if national defense needs require it, a policy shift tied to its NATO membership; officials say there will be no deployment of warheads on Finnish territory, with the move framed as addressing modern security needs near Russia.
Iran is willing to resume nuclear negotiations with the US if certain conditions are met, including recognition of Iran's rights under the NPT, trust-building measures, and assurances against military escalation, ahead of a meeting with European powers in Istanbul.
The IAEA reports Iran has failed to meet its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years, raising concerns over secret activities and stockpiling near weapons-grade uranium, which could lead to UN Security Council referral and escalate regional tensions.
Russia has signed a law revoking its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), a global treaty banning nuclear testing. While the United States signed the treaty in 1996, it has never been ratified. Russia's move, although mostly symbolic, adds to the recent sense of menace fostered by President Putin and other hard-line Kremlin officials. The New START treaty is now the only significant nuclear weapons pact between Russia and the United States that remains in place. The CTBT aimed to ban all nuclear tests, but its effectiveness has been limited due to key countries, including the United States, not ratifying it.
Over 100 medical journals worldwide have issued a joint call for urgent action to eliminate nuclear weapons, warning that the threat of a nuclear catastrophe is "great and growing". The call comes amidst Russia's veiled warnings of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, North Korean missile tests, and slow progress towards non-proliferation. The editorial, co-authored by the editors of 11 leading medical journals, highlights the major danger to public health posed by nuclear weapons and urges nuclear-armed states to eliminate their arsenals. The editorial warns that even a "limited" nuclear war could result in the deaths of millions and global climate disruption leading to a nuclear famine. The medical journals' joint call emphasizes the extreme urgency of the current nuclear crisis.
Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in the 1990s in exchange for financial assistance, legitimacy as a new state, fear of retaliation from Russia, technical problems with managing and controlling the nuclear weapons on its territory, and security assurances. The Budapest Memorandum committed the U.S., U.K., and Russia to “refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine.” However, since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, many have questioned if Ukraine made a mistake in giving up its nuclear weapons and if the West was wrong to demand that Ukraine do so.
Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in the 1990s in exchange for financial assistance, legitimacy as a new state, fear of retaliation from Russia, technical problems with managing and controlling the nuclear weapons on its territory, and security assurances. The Budapest Memorandum committed the U.S., U.K., and Russia to “refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine.” However, Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014 has led some to question the value of the memorandum and whether Ukraine made a mistake in giving up its nuclear weapons.
The G7 leaders met in Hiroshima and reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all. They called on Russia to recommit to the principles of the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States and urged China to engage in meaningful dialogue on transparency regarding their nuclear arsenals. The G7 also called for the immediate commencement of long overdue negotiations of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. They reiterated their unwavering commitment to the goal of North Korea’s complete, verifiable, and irreversible abandonment of its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.
The draft communique of the G7 summit in Hiroshima expresses "grave concern" over Iran's nuclear program and its "destabilizing activities", including the transfer of missiles and UAVs to state and non-state actors. The G7 leaders reiterate their determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon.
Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating criticized Australia's plan to buy nuclear-powered submarines from the US, calling it "the worst deal in all history." Keating argued that the submarines wouldn't serve a useful military purpose and that Australia could defend itself against China's military buildup with planes and missiles. China has complained that the sub deal threatens global accords against nuclear non-proliferation. The head of the international nuclear watchdog organization, Rafael Grossi, rejected China's accusation and said his agency would hold the AUKUS allies and any other nation that attempts a similar nuclear transfer to tough and lasting standards of design, monitoring, inspection, and transparency to try to make sure nuclear non-proliferation accords were being observed.