NATO Council pushes back on UN treaty to legally prohibit, eliminate all nuclear weapons

Following a decision by the United Nations’ (UN) General Assembly to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons and their eventual elimination, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Council recently pushed back against the move, stating that a total ban would not be effective nor would it reduce nuclear arsenals, among other concerns.

The UN decision followed a recommendation of its open-ended working group to establish a prohibition against nuclear weapons proliferation and obligate member states to maintain a nuclear-free world through a number of legal provisions.

“Allies emphasize their strong commitment to full implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),” NATO Council members said in a statement following the UN decision. “…Allies reiterate their commitment to progress towards the goals and objectives of the NPT in its mutually reinforcing three pillars: nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.”

In a release, the NATO Council stated that a nuclear ban through a treaty would not be effective, would not reduce arsenals and would neither enhance any country’s security nor international peace and stability. It risks creating divisions and divergences at a time when a unified approach to proliferation and security threats is required more than ever, the members said.

Specifically, NATO said the ban treaty is at odds with existing non-proliferation and disarmament architecture, undermining the NPT, which has been at the heart of global non-proliferation and disarmament efforts for almost 50 years.

“We call on our partners and all countries who are considering supporting this treaty to seriously reflect on its implications for international peace and security, including on the NPT,” NATO said.

The UN has yet to formally respond to NATO’s concerns.