NPT Preparatory Committee: Russia's threat of nuclear weapons is condemned by countries

At the Preparatory Committee for the NPT = Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty held in Austria, which aims for global nuclear disarmament, Russia, which continues its military invasion of Ukraine, has repeatedly threatened with nuclear weapons and is said to be deploying nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus.

The Preparatory Committee for the next Review Conference of the NPT in 2026 began on 7 July in Vienna, the capital of Austria, with speeches by representatives of each country on the first day.

At the meeting, there were a series of opinions condemning Russia's continued threats to suggest the possibility of using nuclear weapons over the situation in Ukraine, and the representative of the United States said, "Russia's irresponsible nuclear claims and reckless actions at nuclear power plants continue, threatening the core of the NPT agreement and the nuclear suppression system."

Commenting on Russia's assertion of deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a representative of neighboring Lithuania condemned the deployment of any type of nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying that "the deployment of nuclear weapons of any kind in Belarus is a violation of international commitments under the NPT, and Russia's actions are a new provocation and further endanger global security."

In response, the representative of Belarus only stated that "Belarus and Russia share the efforts of the international community towards a world without nuclear weapons," and did not mention the deployment of nuclear weapons.

Russia's representatives are also expected to speak on the second day of the meeting, and amid ongoing tensions over the situation in Ukraine, it is difficult to be optimistic that countries will be able to reach a compromise toward long-term nuclear disarmament.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Takei delivers a speech saying that the road to a world without nuclear weapons will be tough

State Minister Takei gave a speech at the Preparatory Committee meeting Japan, in which he accused Russia of "the road to a world without nuclear weapons" becoming more severe due to the deepening division of the international community and Russia's threat of nuclear weapons.