Monday’s statement by the permanent U.N Security Council members stated that nuclear weapons had not been aimed at them and that there was no way to win a war.
“We affirm that nuclear war can not be won” and should be stopped, stated the U.S. and Russian Federation.
“As nuclear weapon use can have devastating consequences, we believe that they should continue to be available for defensive and deterrent purposes.
“We strongly believe that further spreading of these weapons should be stopped.”
The announcement comes amid high tensions between Russia and the U.S. about Ukraine. Washington also looks at what it perceives to be China’s growing regional aggression.
American defense officials repeatedly warned Beijing that its advances in weapon technology could leave America behind.
This statement reaffirms the agreement to “prevent an arms race which would benefit no one and endanger everyone”.
France, the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States – all nuclear armed nations and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – issued a joint statement declaring nuclear war to be unwinnable
This joint declaration reaffirms the 1985 Summit Declaration by Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan: A nuclear war cannot win and must not be fought.
As President Biden, at odds with Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s increase in troops along the Ukraine-Russia border, this statement was issued
Analysts were pleased with the announcement, but they felt the five nuclear-armed countries needed to act on their words.
So they reaffirm their famous Reagan-Gorbachev declaration made at the 1985 Geneva summit, which stated: “A nuclear war cannot be won” and that it must be avoided.
This sentiment was warmly received by arms reduction analysts and non-proliferation campaigners, although many felt that the five nuclear-armed countries must go further than words.
As Daryl Kimball, director of the Arms Control Association, tweeted: ‘Bottom line: each of the N5 are to varying degrees upgrading and modernizing their deadly arsenals, the risk of a catastrophic n-war still too high, key disarmament commitments have not been kept, the nuclear danger is too high.
“All five should follow through on their rhetoric.”
The Pentagon stated that China had increased its arsenal of nuclear weapons and would have at most 1000 warheads by end of this decade.
And this week China signed a deal with leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean to deepen ties across almost all areas of society in what one analyst likened to a plot to ‘take over’ the region.
Beijing agreed to supply the region with nuclear technology for civil use, help to create peaceful space programs, build 5G networks that can be used to monitor people and pump in loans to finance ‘elaborate developments plans’.
China has been pumping cheap money into Latin America for many years. This indebted governments and bought influence. China has used cheap labor to construct key infrastructure projects in areas where it is unable to borrow or purchase. This has given it a huge influence. With the new agreement of cooperation, those ties will grow.
It also stated that: “We reiterated the validity of previous statements regarding de-targeting and reaffirm our belief that no of our nuclear weapons is targeted at one another or any other country.”
China pledged even to fund schools in China and teach Chinese culture and language, but such institutions were criticized elsewhere for being biased and restricted academic freedom.
This is the result of years of Chinese investment in Latin America and Caribbean. Hundreds of billions have been poured into this region for critical infrastructure, such as roads and ports. Many believe that it’s an attempt to purchase power and influence within America.
Mateo Haydar of the Heritage Foundation said that China is aiming to dominate Latin America.
The statement was originally expected to be released during a major nuclear treaty conference due to begin on Tuesday at the United Nations. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the postponement of the August meeting.