According to The Washington Post, the world is gradually moving into a new nuclear arms race, pushing the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight.
The newspaper noted that Russia and the United States, which together account for about 86% of the world’s nuclear arsenal, are no longer bound by any agreement limiting strategic weapons for the first time since 1972. At the same time, the old model of bilateral arms control is becoming less suited to a multipolar system in which other powers are playing a growing role.
The publication also pointed to the expansion of China’s nuclear capabilities. Beijing is estimated to possess around 600 warheads and continues to increase its stockpile, while declining to join arms-control talks with Russia and the United States.
North Korea is another factor in the changing nuclear balance. According to the estimates cited, Pyongyang has about 50 assembled nuclear warheads and enough fissile material to produce roughly 90 more.
The Washington Post also linked growing doubts over US security guarantees to renewed debate in South Korea and Japan over developing their own nuclear weapons. Polls conducted this year show that nearly 70% of South Koreans support creating a national nuclear bomb.
The newspaper argues that the spread of nuclear weapons to more countries would increase the risk of miscalculation, faulty judgment or human error. As more governments gain access to nuclear arsenals, the chances of a mistake with catastrophic consequences also rise.