Sipri study flags new nuclear arms race

A new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) warns that the world is in the midst of a new nuclear arms race. The nine nuclear-weapon states are expanding or modernising their arsenals, with Russia and the United States together holding about 83 % of all deployed warheads. The bilateral New START treaty expired in February without a successor, reducing transparency on the size and readiness of the stocks.

China is expanding its nuclear force faster than any other country and, after its 2025 military parade, is estimated to have roughly 620 warheads. European nations are taking a more active role in nuclear sharing, with France, the United Kingdom and Germany participating in partnership arrangements. The report notes that the lack of arms‑control agreements and the increasing sophistication of arsenals raise the risk of a chain reaction of further buildups. Peace organisations have staged protests in Berlin calling for a world without nuclear weapons.