News arrived with concern about Russia withdrawing from the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). This move is viewed as another erosion of the global security framework, according to Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Reports from Reuters and the Associated Press indicate that Vladimir Putin signed a law on Thursday to nullify Russia’s ratification of the CTBT.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with a formal statement to the development.
Officials expressed serious concern over Russia’s decision to withdraw from the CTBT, a step taken after months marked by aggressive rhetoric and nuclear threats amid Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. Officials described the move as unjustified and unprecedented, further weakening the international security architecture and fitting a broader pattern of attempts to undermine non-proliferation and disarmament efforts in a calculated strategy.
– the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The ministry underscored that Russia, as a state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), remains obligated to pursue the early entry into force of the CTBT in line with the irreversibility principle of arms control measures.
The decision by Moscow is characterized as a serious violation of these obligations, a concern heightened by Russia’s status as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
– the ministry noted.
It was emphasized that the CTBT stands as a critical instrument for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, enforcing prohibitions on nuclear tests. Poland ratified the CTBT in 1999 and has actively worked toward its strengthening and the treaty’s entry into force for many years. The CTBT has been signed by 178 countries, but its entry into force has been blocked by eight of the 44 Annex 2 states, preventing universal application.
Historically, Washington signed the CTBT in 1996 but did not ratify it. China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, and Egypt have also not ratified the treaty. Some Western experts fear that Russia might contemplate a nuclear test to deter Western backing for Ukraine. If such a scenario occurred, it could herald a renewed era of nuclear testing by the world’s largest powers. It should be noted that Russia has not conducted a nuclear test since the dissolution of the Soviet Union; the last nuclear test by the Soviet Union occurred in 1990, while the United States conducted its last in 1992.
[Citation: wPolityce]