New York: Europe and the Arabs

The UN Secretary-General said that the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) represents a dangerous moment for international peace and security.

In a press statement, the Secretary-General added: “For the first time in more than 50 years, we are facing a world where there are no binding limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the Russian Federation and the United States of America, the two countries that possess the vast majority of the international stockpile of nuclear weapons.” According to the UN Daily News, which added, “Secretary-General António Guterres said that the nuclear arms control agreement between these two governments – during and after the Cold War – helped prevent catastrophes. It also built stability and, along with other measures, prevented the possibility of devastating miscalculations. Most importantly, as Guterres noted, it facilitated the reduction of thousands of nuclear weapons from national arsenals and improved security for all peoples, including the people of the United States and the Russian Federation.” The Secretary-General added that undoing decades of progress could not have come at a worse time, given that the risks of nuclear weapons use are currently at their highest level in decades. But amid the prevailing uncertainty, the Secretary-General stressed the need to find hope, saying: “This is an opportunity to reset and reshape the arms control regime.” This is appropriate given the rapidly evolving context. He welcomed the statements by the presidents of the United States and Russia regarding their recognition of the consequences of a nuclear arms race and the need to prevent a return to a world of uncontrolled nuclear proliferation. Guterres said the world is looking to the Russian Federation and the United States to translate words into action. He urged them to return to the negotiating table without delay and agree on a framework that re-establishes verifiable limits, reduces risks, and strengthens common security.