Topic: 2025 – No First Use Policies and Nuclear Disarmament
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Evan Gagliardo
Topic: 2025 – No First Use Policies and Nuclear Disarmament
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Evan Gagliardo
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Committee: DISEC
“The UN understands a nuclear weapon as a device that uses nuclear fission and/or fusion to cause an explosion with massive, destructive energy”(United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism). Ever since the Cold War, nuclear weapons have continued to be a rising issue, and with nine countries now estimated to have nuclear weapons available to deploy at any moment, the looming threat of nuclear warfare is a pressing concern for many countries, and many believe nuclear weapons should be eliminated. On the other hand, Russia firmly believes that a strong nuclear arsenal is essential for maintaining global sovereignty and stability, as Russia has the largest arsenal of nuclear power. Having a reserve of nuclear weapons is crucial in maintaining national security and deterring aggression that would threaten the Russian Federation or its allies, which is why Russia does not have a no-first-use policy. Possessing nuclear weapons also ensures that complete sovereignty is protected. Trying to limit or eliminate countries’ nuclear weapons is a radical breach of sovereignty, and total disarmament is not rational.
Over the years, the United Nations has made multiple attempts to get global nuclear disarmament/reduction and a global no-first-use policy, through multiple means, but they have failed to get every country on board, and Russia believes this is due to their radical approach to the problem at hand. One of the main initiatives the UN has put into play is the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). This treaty establishes limitations and prohibitions regarding nuclear activity, including but not limited to the promise not to develop, test, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use, or threaten to use nuclear weapons. The treaty also prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons on national territory or the assistance of states with nuclear weapons. Finally, the treaty also requires states parties to provide adequate assistance to individuals affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons, as well as to take necessary and appropriate measures of environmental remediation in areas under their jurisdiction or control contaminated as a result of activities related to the testing or use of nuclear weapons (United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs). Another measure proposed by the United Nations is the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). This is a treaty proposed by the UN that bans all nuclear weapon tests. Its purpose is to prevent the development of new nuclear weapons and limit the proliferation of existing ones, thereby protecting humanity and the environment from the harmful effects of nuclear testing. The treaty’s verification regime uses a global network of monitoring stations to detect any nuclear explosions. Although this treaty has not yet been put into place or passed, it is currently under consideration. Russia does not agree with either of these treaties, believing they are too radical and eliminate a state’s sovereignty, and are counterproductive to the problem because they contradict the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NP), which Russia is in support of. Russia also believes disarmament is a long-term goal that should be primarily controlled by the states in collaboration with other nuclear-armed states. Russia also believes unilateral disarmament is dangerous and does not provide enough security. Russia was one of the 19 countries that did not sign the TPNW.
The most significant treaty Russia is a signatory of is the previously mentioned NPT. The NPT includes three pillars: preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and pursuing nuclear disarmament. The Russian government states that it is necessary for the Russian government to have nuclear weapons for protection and deterrence, but is in favor of stopping the spread of them to other countries. Another treaty Russia is a part of is the New START treaty. This treaty is between the U.S and Russia, and the conditions of this treaty are that the countries can still deploy, but limit the numbers to what can be deployed, as well as mandate multiple inspections a year. Russia paused its commitment to this treaty due to the U.S not following the guidelines, but has not fully withdrawn and is resuming the treaty in 2026.
Moving into the future, Russia would like to see resolutions regarding no-first-use policies and nuclear disarmament be handled by individual states that contain nuclear weapons rather than the United Nations, because there is a high chance of a breach of sovereignty. Russia wants to limit the spread of nuclear weapons to other countries, but does not believe in unilateral disarmament and believes a gradual disarmament is best because Russia believes unilateral disarmament is counterproductive and a security threat.
