After the abolition of the New Start Agreement between the USA and Russia, the nuclear arms control architecture is threatened with a final end.
D This week marks the New Start Treaty agreed between Russia and the US in 2010 to reduce the number of their strategic nuclear weapons finally expired. This is one of the last pillars of the bilateral as well the global architecture for arms control of nuclear weapons has broken down. The foundation stone was laid in 1963 with the agreement banning nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, outer space and under water. This architecture ensured at least a certain degree of mutual predictability and thus relative stability.
After the abolition of the New Start Treaty, the USA and Russia are no longer subject to any legal restrictions that could limit the expansion and “modernization” of their operational nuclear weapons arsenals, which is carried out at great technological and financial expense. If US President Trump makes good on his announcement to resume underground nuclear weapons testing, the penultimate pillar of the arms control architecture could soon collapse: the Treaty on the Comprehensive Ban on Nuclear Weapons Tests (CTBT) outside of laboratories agreed by the UN General Assembly in 1996.
The CTBT has not yet come into force because the USA and the nuclear weapons states China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have still not ratified it. Nevertheless, over the past 30 years, at least in practice all 193 UN member states have adhered to this agreement.
Although China’s nuclear arsenal is still significantly smaller than that of the USA and Russia, Beijing is currently massively expanding it and is refusing any arms control talks. The remaining two of the five “official” nuclear weapons powers, France and Great Britain, are also continuing to upgrade their arsenals. In doing so, they are also violating their disarmament obligation, which is binding under international law, under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) of 1968.
The next NPT review conference in May will most likely fail again. In this case, this last pillar of the nuclear arms control architecture could soon collapse.
Together for a free press
As a cooperative, we belong to our readers. And our journalism is not only 100% non-corporate, but also accessible free of charge. We make all articles freely available, without a paywall. Especially in these times, classifications and information must be accessible to everyone. Our readers don’t have to pay anything, but they know that critical, independent journalism doesn’t emerge from nothing. We are very grateful for that. So that we can continue to do our journalism tomorrow, we need more support. Our next goal: 50,000 – and with your participation we can do it. Set an example for the taz and for the future of our journalism. With just 5 euros you are there!
Support now