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The role of nuclear weapons has become more prominent as geopolitical relations deteriorate and nuclear states are modernizing their arsenals, researchers said on Monday, urging world leaders to “step back and think.”
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As international relations are strained by the conflict, diplomatic efforts to control nuclear weapons have also suffered a major setback. Ukraine The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) states in its annual yearbook.
“Not since World War II have we seen nuclear weapons play such a prominent role in international relations. cold warWilfred Wan, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s weapons of mass destruction program, said in a statement.
The research institute noted that in February 2023, Russia announced the suspension of its participation in the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, “the last nuclear arms control treaty limiting the strategic nuclear forces of Russia and the United States.”
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute also noted that Russia conducted tactical nuclear weapons exercises close to the Ukrainian border in May.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped up his nuclear rhetoric since the conflict in Ukraine began, warning in a February address to the nation that there was a “real” risk of nuclear war.
In addition, an informal agreement reached between the United States and Iran in June 2023 was overturned after the war began. Israel-Hamas War In October this year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said.
‘Extremely worrying’
The world’s nine nuclear-weapon states also “continued to modernize their nuclear arsenals, with several deploying new nuclear weapons or nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023,” according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The nine countries are the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in January this year, there were about 12,121 nuclear warheads in the world, of which about 9,585 were in storage for potential use.
About 2,100 personnel are on “high alert” for ballistic missiles.
Almost all of these warheads belong to Russia and the United States – these two countries together possess nearly 90% of nuclear warheads. nuclear weapon — but for the first time, China is believed to have some warheads on high alert.
Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said: “The total number of nuclear warheads worldwide continues to decline as Cold War-era weapons are gradually dismantled, but regrettably we are still seeing an increase in the number of active nuclear warheads each year.”
He added that the trend was likely to continue and “may accelerate” in the coming years, calling it “extremely worrying”.
The researchers also stressed that “the global security situation has continued to deteriorate over the past year,” with the impact of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza reflected in “almost every aspect” related to armaments and international security.
“We are in one of the most dangerous periods in human history,” Smith said, urging world powers to “think calmly and, ideally, together.”
(AFP)
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