The members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty face the threat of war

Supporters of a global treaty banning nuclear weapons met Tuesday for the first time since the pact went into effect last year, with concerns about Russian threats to use such weapons in the conflict in Ukraine weighing heavily on. this context.

The meeting of the member countries and supporters of the pact, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weaponsheld in Vienna, aims to assess progress in the nearly five years since it was negotiated at the United Nations.

without energy with nuclear weapons, including the United States or Russia, signed or ratified the treaty, and someone defined it naive, But supporters argue that if the overwhelming majority of countries ratified the pact, the embarrassing effect on those who resist would make a nuclear conflict much more unlikely.

Anti-proliferation advocates point to the near-unraveling of the nuclear deal with Iran, hints of new tests by North Korea and, perhaps more disturbingly, the president’s bomb. Vladimir Putin when he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February and put his nation’s nuclear forces on alert.

“The once unthinkable prospect of a nuclear conflict is now back in the realm of possibility,” he said. Antonio GuterresUnited Nations Secretary-General, in a video message during the meeting.

Recalling that both Russia and NATO have nuclear arsenals, Putin said when he ordered the invasion that “no one should have any doubts that a direct attack on our country will lead to destruction and horrific consequences for any potential aggressor.”

He also claimed that Russia is “one of the most powerful nuclear powers and has done so too.” certain advantage in a variety of state-of-the-art weapons.

Guterres was among those who said that Putin’s words and actions highlighted the “chilling” possibility that nuclear weapons could actually be used.

Pietro Maurerchairman of the International Committee of the Red Cross, longtime supporter of the Banning Treaty, said at the meeting that it is important to focus on the horrific consequences of any use of nuclear weapons “at a time when, in the context of the conflict in Ukraine , the theories of deterrence they seem to regain vigor and apparent legitimacy “.

The treaty, which became international law in January 2021, three months after the 50th ratification, now has at least 65 ratifications, according to the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, the Geneva-based group that pushed the treaty and won a Nobel Prize. in 2017 for that job.

The treaty prohibits the use of nuclear weapons, the threat of use, testing, development, production, possession, transfer and stationing in another country.

For nuclear-armed nations that choose to join, the treaty outlines a process for destroy reserves and enforce countries’ pledges to remain nuclear-free.

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