Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference Ends Without Result

While more than three-quarters of the 191 NPT signatories were committed to credible progress on nuclear disarmament, it was mainly the nuclear-armed states, led by Russia, that opposed it. In contrast to the disarmament commitments enshrined in the NPT, all five nuclear-armed states-the United States, France, China, the United Kingdom, and Russia-are increasing or improving their arsenals.

On the day after the end of the negotiations in New York, it is unfortunately clear that the nuclear weapon states only want to stick to the status quo. At the same time, all alarm sirens should be blaring. The Russian war of aggression on Ukraine and Russia's completely irresponsible nuclear threats, above all the Russian roulette with Europe's largest nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhya, show us quite clearly how real the danger of a nuclear catastrophe is. Now Russia has also torpedoed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

No willingness to implement or concretize the hitherto unfulfilled treaty obligations, let alone to make new concrete commitments ranging from transparency to risk reduction, was apparent at the negotiations in New York. Thus, even the draft of the final declaration, which was ultimately prevented by Russia, was already devoid of credible progress in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation.

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as a new hope

A ray of hope in the field of nuclear disarmament is the progress achieved at the first meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in Vienna, which was co-initiated by Austria.

While there is no progress in the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, an ever larger group of states, co-led by Austria, is moving forward in the implementation of its commitments and negotiated the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty (TPNW), whose first meeting of states parties took place in Vienna in June under the Austrian chairmanship.

To bring the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons more fully into the debate on nuclear disarmament, the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons was held in early June 2022 in advance of the first meeting of state parties to the TPNW. Current scientific findings on the global consequences of the use of nuclear weapons were discussed. The conference concluded that nuclear deterrence poses a threat to the security of all people.

These two conferences adopted an ambitious implementation plan and a strong political declaration that, unlike the NPT, clearly condemns any use of or threat of nuclear weapons.

The #NPTRevCon failed to provide answers to their existential threat to #humanity. That is why we need the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty #TPNW. Like @UN Secretary General @antonioguterres said: “We must abolish nuclear weapons before they abolish us.” #nuclearban 2/2

— Alexander Schallenberg (@a_schallenberg) August 27, 2022

Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg stated that the TPNW implements "a concrete measure towards a world free of nuclear weapons." Schallenberg clarified that "the status quo will not be accepted and that the continued deadlock in the NPT shows that the momentum and concrete steps towards a world free of nuclear weapons will be achieved through the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons."

Furthermore, Austria's Foreign Minister reiterated that given the humanitarian consequences and risks of nuclear weapons, it is irresponsible for nuclear-armed states to still adhere to the principle of nuclear deterrence, as the threat or actual use of these weapons means the destruction of countless lives, societies, and global catastrophic consequences.

BMEIA Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs