Reports states world on brink of new weapons race
(MENAFN) The world faces the danger of entering a new, intense arms race as most nuclear-armed countries move to upgrade and expand their weapons stockpiles, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its latest annual report.
Disarmament efforts are slowing down amid “intensive” modernization programs launched by nuclear powers. Russia and the United States, which together hold about 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons, are approaching the expiration of the New START treaty in February 2026. This treaty limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads.
Russia suspended its participation in the treaty last year, citing the challenges posed by Western involvement in the Ukraine conflict, but remains open to talks if Washington also includes NATO allies’ arsenals in negotiations. Meanwhile, the US demands that China be included in any future arms control agreements.
China’s nuclear arsenal is growing at the fastest rate worldwide and could match Russia or the US in intercontinental ballistic missile numbers by the end of the decade, SIPRI notes. The UK and France are also modernizing their nuclear forces, focusing on ballistic missile submarines, with France planning a new ballistic missile warhead.
Hans M. Kristensen, a senior fellow at SIPRI, highlighted the end of the post-Cold War era of nuclear reductions, warning of rising arsenals, harsher nuclear rhetoric, and the breakdown of arms control agreements.
SIPRI also mentioned Israel as a nation believed to be updating its nuclear capabilities. Though Israel has not officially confirmed its nuclear weapons program, signs include new missile propulsion tests and upgrades at its plutonium reactor in Dimona. The report estimates Israel’s nuclear warhead stockpile at up to 90.
This report comes amid Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, accusing Tehran of advancing toward a nuclear bomb. Iran, which maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, was not discussed in SIPRI’s review.
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