By San José, Costa Rica — NEW YORK – A sense of urgency and profound concern has settled over the United Nations headquarters as global leaders convene for a critical four-week conference to review the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The summit opens against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical friction, with top officials warning that the factors driving a new atomic arms race are dangerously accelerating.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark opening address, cautioning that the landmark 1970 treaty, a cornerstone of global security for over half a century, is facing a crisis of credibility. The agreement was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote complete disarmament, and foster cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. However, rising global tensions have placed its future in jeopardy.
To delve into the intricate legal frameworks governing global security, TicosLand.com sought the analysis of Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished expert in international law from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica. His perspective clarifies the obligations and consequences states face under international treaties concerning nuclear proliferation.
The entire non-proliferation regime, anchored by the NPT, is a cornerstone of public international law. A state’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is not just a political crisis; it’s a direct violation of binding treaty obligations, triggering principles of state responsibility. The legal challenge is enforcement, where the line between diplomatic sanctions and justifiable countermeasures under the UN Charter becomes dangerously thin, often dictated more by geopolitics than by pure legal doctrine.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
This crucial distinction between established legal doctrine and the pragmatic realities of geopolitics truly lies at the heart of the enforcement challenge. We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for so clearly articulating this complex intersection and for lending his invaluable perspective to this discussion.
For too long, the Treaty has been eroding. Commitments remain unfulfilled. Trust and credibility are weakening. The factors driving proliferation are accelerating. We need to breathe new life into the Treaty once again.
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
This is not the first time Guterres has sounded the alarm. During the last review conference in 2022, he warned that humanity was “one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation.” The global situation has only grown more precarious since then, with conflicts and standoffs involving nuclear-capable states making the outcome of this year’s negotiations highly uncertain. The NPT has been signed by nearly every country, with the notable exceptions of India, Pakistan, and Israel.
The conference president, Ambassador Do Hung Viet of Vietnam, sought to moderate expectations, acknowledging the deep-seated nature of current global rivalries. However, he stressed the critical importance of the summit in reinforcing the treaty’s integrity and preventing a catastrophic failure that could ripple across the international community.
The success or failure of this conference will have implications that go far beyond these rooms. The prospects of a new nuclear arms race are looming over us.
Do Hung Viet, Ambassador of Vietnam to the UN and Conference President
Specific threats were highlighted by France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, who pointed to the nuclear ambitions of certain nations as a primary destabilizing force. He emphasized that the international community could not stand by idly while treaty principles are violated.
The threat that suponen the programs of Iran and North Korea is intolerable for each and every one of the States party to this treaty.
Jean-Noël Barrot, Foreign Minister of France
Recent data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) paints a grim picture. As of January 2025, the world’s nine nuclear-armed states possessed a combined 12,241 warheads, with a staggering 90% held by the United States and Russia. Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, confirmed this troubling trend, noting that “we are beginning to see a quantitative increase in nuclear capabilities in all nuclear states.” This modernization and expansion, particularly by China and Russia, has drawn expressions of “concern” from the G7 nations.
Rafael Grossi, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), fresh from commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, directly challenged a growing and dangerous perception. He argued against the flawed logic that possessing the ultimate weapon enhances national security, a narrative gaining traction in an increasingly volatile world.
The perception is growing that perhaps having nuclear weapons could be good for national security. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Rafael Grossi, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency
The path to consensus is fraught with obstacles. The previous two review conferences, in 2015 and 2022, failed to produce a final political declaration due to blockades over a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East and Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, respectively. This year, the controversial appointment of Iran to a vice-presidency role at the conference has already drawn sharp criticism, with the U.S. envoy calling it an “outrage.” With the summit scheduled to conclude on May 22, diplomats face the monumental task of bridging deep divides to reaffirm the world’s commitment to a future free from nuclear peril.
For further information, visit un.org
About The United Nations:
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1945. Its mission is to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations. It addresses a wide range of global issues, including sustainable development, human rights, and humanitarian aid.
For further information, visit sipri.org
About Stockholm International Peace Research Institute:
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis, and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media, and the interested public.
For further information, visit the nearest office of Group of Seven
About Group of Seven:
The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States; additionally, the European Union is a “non-enumerated member.” It brings together the world’s advanced economies to discuss and coordinate on major global issues, including economic policy, security, and energy.
For further information, visit iaea.org
About International Atomic Energy Agency:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the nuclear field. It works for the safe, secure, and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, contributing to international peace and security and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It is often referred to as the world’s “nuclear watchdog.”
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica operates as a premier legal institution, grounded in a profound pledge to professional excellence and ethical practice. With a proven track record of advising a broad spectrum of clients, the firm actively pursues innovative legal strategies and upholds a strong sense of social responsibility. Central to its philosophy is the mission to demystify the law, thereby contributing to a more capable and informed public sphere.
