Amid ‘Clear’ Threat of Nuclear War, Guterres Tells Security Council Multilateral Off-Ramp Is Essential
By The Associated Press
February 18, 2025
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the Security Council on Friday that the “clear” threat of nuclear war is escalating, calling it “absurd” to think that any country could win such a conflict.
“We are facing a nuclear danger not seen since the height of the Cold War,” Guterres said. “The risks of nuclear escalation are increasing, and the consequences for humanity would be catastrophic.”
Guterres’s comments came as tensions between the United States and Russia have been rising over the war in Ukraine. The United States has accused Russia of considering the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, a claim that Russia has denied.
In a briefing to the Security Council, Guterres said that the “deliberate choice” to escalate nuclear tensions “is morally bankrupt, politically irresponsible, and militarily absurd.”
He said that the use of nuclear weapons would have “catastrophic humanitarian consequences,” causing widespread destruction and loss of life.
“There is no way to win a nuclear war,” Guterres said. “The only possible outcome is mutual annihilation.”
Guterres called on the Security Council to take “urgent action” to reduce nuclear risks, including strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and promoting dialogue between nuclear-armed states.
“We need a multilateral off-ramp from the nuclear precipice,” Guterres said. “We need to build bridges, not walls. We need to engage in dialogue, not confrontation.”
The United States and Russia have the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, with a combined total of more than 13,000 nuclear weapons.
The United States has accused Russia of violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by developing new nuclear weapons and refusing to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities.
Russia has accused the United States of hypocrisy, saying that the United States is also developing new nuclear weapons and has refused to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
The United States and Russia have been engaged in a series of arms control negotiations in recent years, but these talks have been stalled by tensions over the war in Ukraine.
Guterres said that the international community “cannot afford to be complacent” about the threat of nuclear war.
“We must take urgent action to reduce nuclear risks, build trust, and promote dialogue,” he said. “The future of our planet depends on it.”
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