‘We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age,’ British armed forces chief Admiral Tony Radakin said at the end of last year. On either side of the Atlantic, opposing visions of what can define this new age were put forward.
On 3 March 86 nations and unofficial representatives from dozens more joined the third meeting of ‘states parties’ – the UN’s term for countries that have ratified a treaty – to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) at the UN in New York. The treaty, which looks to completely outlaw nuclear weaponry, entered into force four years ago and is expected to be backed by a majority of the world’s nations by the end of 2025.
