This year, the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward, largely (though not exclusively) because of the mounting dangers of the war in Ukraine. The Clock now stands at 90 seconds to midnight—the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been.
by Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The war in Ukraine may enter a second horrifying year, with both sides convinced they can win. Ukraine’s sovereignty and broader European security arrangements that have largely held since the end of World War II are at stake. Also, Russia’s war on Ukraine has raised profound questions about how states interact, eroding norms of international conduct that underpin successful responses to a variety of global risks.
And worst of all, Russia’s thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons remind the world that escalation of the conflict—by accident, intention, or miscalculation—is a terrible risk. The possibility that the conflict could spin out of anyone’s control remains high.
Russia’s recent actions contravene decades of commitments by Moscow. In 1994, Russia joined the United States and United Kingdom in Budapest, Hungary, to solemnly declare that it would “respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine” and “refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine…” These assurances were made explicitly on the understanding that Ukraine would relinquish nuclear weapons on its soil and sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty—both of which Ukraine did.
Russia has also brought its war to the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor sites, violating international protocols and risking widespread release of radioactive materials. Efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency to secure these plants so far have been rebuffed.
Recent Posts
No Matter Who Wins For President, Our Work Has Just Begun
November 3, 2024
Take Action NowNo matter who wins, progressives must be ready to clamor for the policies we want to see in the White House.By…
A Trump Presidency Could Mean A Third Red Scare
November 3, 2024
Take Action NowDonald Trump and his allies aren’t making a secret of it: if they win, they’re going to launch a campaign of repression to…
What Would Mass Deportation In The U.S. Look Like?
November 1, 2024
Take Action NowTrump has invoked a 1950s mass deportation campaign as a blueprint for his nativist agenda. Its history shows that abuse and…
Israel Using U.S. Election To Take Free Hand Against Gaza
November 1, 2024
Take Action NowBut even as a lame duck, will Biden do the right thing? Likely not.By Robert E. Hunter, Responsible Statecraft……