US presents arms control proposals to Russia and China

The United States has presented detailed proposals to Russia and China on multilateral arms control and strategic stability, a senior U.S. official said, as quoted by Russian media.

Christopher A. Ford, the Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, said the proposals were also shared with other members of the so-called P5 group of permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — including the United Kingdom and France.

“That is why we proposed the idea of multilateral strategic stability and arms control. We presented Russia and China, as well as other members of the P5, with detailed proposals on initial steps covering transparency, risk reduction, as well as testing,” he said during remarks at the review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

According to the U.S. diplomat, Russian and Chinese counterparts have shown “some interest” in these areas.

The 11th Review Conference of the NPT opened on April 27 at United Nations headquarters in New York. Held once every five years, the conference brings together nearly all parties to the treaty—191 states—to assess its implementation across three key pillars: nonproliferation, nuclear disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

This year’s meeting is expected to involve difficult negotiations amid ongoing conflicts and broader geopolitical divisions. Delegates will seek to agree on a final document outlining practical steps, although many experts remain skeptical about the prospects for consensus due to deep disagreements between nuclear-armed and non-nuclear states.

The conference is scheduled to continue through May 22.

By Tamilla Hasanova