Nuclear weapons more important amid geopolitical tensions: researchers

The role of atomic weapons has become more important and nuclear states are modernizing their arsenals as geopolitical relations deteriorate, researchers said Monday, urging world leaders to “step back and think.”

Diplomatic efforts to control nuclear weapons have also suffered major setbacks amid strained international relations over conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its annual annual.

“We have not seen nuclear weapons play such an important role in international relations since the Cold War,” Wilfred Wan, director of SIPRI’s weapons of mass destruction program, said in a statement.

SIPRI also noted that Russia conducted tactical nuclear weapons exercises near the Ukrainian border in May.

According to SIPRI, the world's nine nuclear-armed states “also continued to modernize their nuclear arsenals and several deployed new nuclear or nuclear-capable weapons systems in 2023.”

As of January, of the world's estimated 12,121 nuclear warheads, about 9,585 were in stockpile for potential use, according to SIPRI.

About 2,100 personnel were kept on “high operational alert” for ballistic missiles.

“As the total number of global nuclear warheads continues to decline as Cold War weapons are gradually dismantled, we unfortunately continue to see a year-over-year increase in the number of operational nuclear warheads,” said SIPRI Director Dan Smith.

He added that this trend was likely to continue and “probably accelerate” in the coming years, calling it “extremely concerning.”

“We live today in one of the most dangerous periods in human history,” Smith said, urging major world powers to “step back and think.” Preferably together.”