Former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA) and Former Secretary of Energy under the Obama administration Ernest J. Moniz, co-founders of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, said they applaud the position of world leaders that a nuclear war “cannot be won,” in a statement Monday.
The statement comes in response to a statement released on behalf of the countries by the White House on Jan. 3.
“We welcome the January 3, 2022, Joint Statement from the leaders of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States committing to Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races,” the statement said.
The joint statement is the first time all five of the world’s recognized nuclear-weapon states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) have agreed on the futility of a nuclear war and established a foundation for reinvigorating efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear conflict, the NTI leaders said.
Muniz and Nunn said the leaders must now instruct their governments to take concrete steps towards non-proliferation by accelerating individual and collective effort to reduce the risk of unauthorized, inadvertent, or mistaken use of nuclear weapons; expand and deepen the dialogue on risk reduction; reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national security doctrines; and further reduce nuclear arsenals – beginning with negotiations and agreements between the U.S. and Russia on a new START treaty to limit and reduce both country’s arsenal.
“While it is unfortunate that the tenth NPT Review Conference was postponed again due to the global pandemic, the delay provides additional time for the NPT nuclear-weapon states – and all states parties to this crucial Treaty – to continue working to advance the goals of the NPT and ensure a successful Review Conference,” the NTI leaders said. “We urge the nuclear-weapon states to take advantage of this opportunity by building on today’s positive statement and implementing tangible measures to reduce the risk of conflict and arms races and strengthen the foundation for further nuclear reductions.”