RReport by Ms. Montserrat Catà Lladó, City of Granollers, Spain
On January 27, the European Chapter of Mayors for Peace, in partnership with ICAN, hosted a webinar discussing the growing nuclear threats and the future of disarmament treaties, with the Doomsday Clock set at 85 seconds to midnight.
Olga Karach from Our House (Belarus) stressed the need for a grassroots movement for nuclear disarmament, particularly involving Russia’s nuclear weapons. She highlighted the lack of public awareness, especially in cities, and called for more media activism. Sophie Bolt from the UK Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament warned that the nuclear threat is at its highest since the Cold War, citing tensions in Ukraine and the deployment of new US and Russian nuclear weapons. She emphasized the importance of extending the New START Treaty for global security.
Tonci Tadic, from the Ruder Boskovic Institute, noted that we are in a “second Cold War,” with Russia escalating nuclear threats. He expressed doubt that the New START Treaty would be extended due to the strategic importance of nuclear arsenals. Jana Baldus from the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt highlighted the risk of a new arms race and the lack of political will to renew disarmament treaties. The webinar called for renewed international efforts to control nuclear arsenals.
You can view the webinar here:
Photo: courtesy of the European Chapter
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