The world is facing its highest risk of nuclear conflict since the Cold War, the UN’s top disarmament official has warned. Izumi Nakamitsu, UN under-secretary-general for disarmament, said major powers are accelerating their arms race, modernizing nuclear arsenals amid geopolitical rivalries.
Speaking at the Doha Forum, Nakamitsu stressed that these risks existed long before the Russia-Ukraine war, which has only intensified global insecurity. She highlighted weakening arms-control agreements, shrinking diplomatic dialogue, and rising regional conflicts as key factors pushing the world closer to potential nuclear miscalculation, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“The risk of nuclear weapons actually being used in conflict is at its highest since the depths of the Cold War,” Nakamitsu said.
She urged nuclear-armed states to exercise restraint, maintain open communication channels, and implement risk-reduction measures to avoid accidental escalation. Disarmament, she added, goes beyond cutting warheads, encompassing transparency, confidence-building, and mutual restraint.
Conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, Nakamitsu noted, have eroded trust, particularly among Global South nations, complicating multilateral efforts like the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). With the 2026 NPT Review Conference approaching, she called on world leaders to prioritize diplomacy and compromise to safeguard global security.
“Diplomacy, dialogue, and a spirit of common interest—that is international security for all of us,” she concluded.