UN Secretary-General warns of most dangerous nuclear era

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the world is currently in the most dangerous nuclear era since the end of the Cold War. Speaking at a high-level general assembly meeting to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Guterres noted that nuclear weapons continue to cast a shadow over humanity, 81 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Guterres highlighted the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) earlier this year, pointing out that for the first time in over half a century, there are no binding limits on strategic nuclear arsenals. He stated that this lack of regulation undermines the security of the entire international community, not just nuclear-armed states.

Describing the failure of recent diplomatic efforts regarding nuclear proliferation as a “warning sign,” the Secretary-General called on nuclear-armed nations to return to dialogue to prevent the use of such weapons. He emphasized that a divided world should not serve as an excuse for inaction and urged leaders to choose a future free from nuclear weapons.