With the end of the Cold War, hopes for a world with shrinking nuclear arsenals evaporated. In the 1980s, the world's nuclear weapons stockpiles peaked, but began to decline with the signing of historic agreements, such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) of 1991. Today, those successes are in jeopardy, as key treaties fall apart, writes The Wall Street Journal, reports Focus.
The cancellation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the upcoming expiration of the Strategic Nuclear Forces Treaty are pointing the United States and Russia toward a potential arms race. Further alarming is China's plans to triple its nuclear stockpile by 2035, which is worsening the global situation.
Tactical Nuclear Weapons: A New Risk
As strategic arsenals shrink, tactical nuclear weapons are becoming a major source of concern. With their relatively smaller size and range, they can be used on the battlefield, making nuclear conflict a real possibility.
Russia regularly threatens to use such weapons, especially in connection with the conflict in Ukraine. Recent changes in its doctrine have broadened the grounds for the use of nuclear weapons, exacerbating tensions on the global stage.
The Cracking Foundation of Nonproliferation
The 1970 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), a key instrument for limiting the nuclear threat, is under pressure. Although 191 countries are parties to the agreement, some key players are refusing to join, and others, such as North Korea, are leaving.
Iran is on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, and Saudi Arabia is signaling the possibility of following suit. Failure to strengthen the international non-proliferation regime could lead to regional instability and global risks.
The Future of Nuclear Security
Decisions by world leaders, such as the US’s authorization of Western weapons from Ukraine, signal a shift in the approach to nuclear threats. The question is whether the world will find a new balance or face an uncontrollable escalation.
The era of nuclear disarmament is giving way to a new reality of uncertainty, requiring swift diplomatic and political action to avert worst-case scenarios.