Nuclear Weapons | Council on Foreign Relations

U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Control

The U.S. and Russia have signed various arms control agreements through the years, but recent fissures once again raise the specter of a nuclear arms race.

Timeline by Jonathan Masters and Sabine Baumgartner May 10, 2022

If Russia Goes Nuclear: Three Scenarios for the Ukraine War

The odds remain slim, but an increasingly desperate Vladimir Putin could use Russia’s nuclear arsenal to turn its fortunes in the Ukraine war.

Article by J. Andrés Gannon Nov 9, 2022

Factors Driving the Nuclear Weapons Debate in South Korea

The public debate in South Korea over nuclear weapons reflects South Korean desires to have greater agency over their own security, shaped by factors beyond concerns over U.S. credibility.

Post by Jennifer Ahn Feb 17, 2023

The New Nuclear Era

The world is on the cusp of a new era where nuclear weapons are likely to play a bigger role.

Article by Richard Haass Oct 19, 2022

Conflict Prevention

Conflicts to Watch in 2025

U.S. foreign policy experts rank the thirty global conflicts that could most significantly affect the United States in 2025.

Report by Paul B. Stares January 7, 2025 Center for Preventive Action
China

The China-North Korea Relationship

Complex dynamics between the two Asian nuclear powers are shifting once again as North Korea deepens ties with Russia and the U.S.-China rivalry intensifies.

Backgrounder by Clara Fong November 21, 2024
Nuclear Weapons

The Threat of Nuclear Terrorism, With Stephen Flynn

Stephen Flynn, chair of the Committee on Assessing WMD Nuclear Terrorism at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and a political science professor at Northeastern University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the steps the U.S. government should take to prevent and respond to nuclear terrorism.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Stephen E. Flynn July 16, 2024 The President’s Inbox

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Carla Anne Robbins

Senior Fellow

United States

Paul C. Warnke Lecture on International Security: Turning Point—The Bomb and The Cold War

The Netflix series Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War is an exploration of the decades-long conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union framed by current events that reveal the Cold War continues and the world remains on the precipice of nuclear war. Join us for a special screening of episode nine of the series, followed by a discussion on the ongoing danger posed by nuclear weapons amidst present-day conflicts and how recent advancements, including artificial intelligence, influence the risks related to nuclear warfare. The full series of Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War is out on Netflix now. The Paul C. Warnke Lecture on International Security was established in 2002 and is endowed by a number of Council members and the family and friends of Paul C. Warnke. The lecture commemorates his legacy of courageous service to the nation and international peace.

Event with Brian Knappenberger, Lynn Rusten, Andy Weber and Timothy Naftali June 20, 2024 Paul C. Warnke Lecture
North Korea

The Significance of the Putin-Kim Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2024 visit to North Korea, his first since 2000, signifies the ongoing strengthening of bilateral ties. Whether this is a short-term expedience or the start of a true security alliance remains to be seen.

Post by Sue Mi Terry June 17, 2024 Asia Unbound
Nuclear Weapons

The President’s Inbox Recap: Confronting the Nuclear Threat

The world has entered a new and dangerous nuclear age.

Post by Michelle Kurilla March 28, 2024 The Water's Edge
Nonproliferation, Arms Control, and Disarmament

Confronting the Nuclear Threat, With W.J. Hennigan

W.J. Hennigan, a correspondent for the Opinion section of the New York Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the risk of nuclear war in an era of growing geopolitical competition.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and W.J. Hennigan March 26, 2024 The President’s Inbox
Conflict Prevention

Conflicts to Watch in 2024

For CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey, U.S. foreign policy experts assessed the likelihood and impact of thirty potential conflicts that could emerge or escalate in 2024.

Report by Paul B. Stares January 4, 2024 Center for Preventive Action
North Korea

What Would a Second Trump Administration Mean for North Korea?

If Donald Trump were to win the 2024 presidential election, he would face at least three new realities that would shape his policy toward the Korean Peninsula.

Post by Scott A. Snyder November 29, 2023 Asia Unbound
Iran Nuclear Agreement

What Is the Iran Nuclear Deal?

Diplomacy to revive this arms control agreement has faced multiple stumbling blocks, including Iran’s nuclear advances and its links to conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine.

Backgrounder by Kali Robinson October 27, 2023
South Korea

Challenges Ahead for U.S. Efforts to Quell South Korea’s Nuclear Ambitions

Amid North Korea’s advancing military capabilities and expanding U.S.-Japan-South Korea security cooperation, the South Korean public will continue assessing whether U.S. extended deterrence could come under future threat.

Post by Jennifer Ahn June 5, 2023 Asia Unbound
Nuclear Weapons

A New Nuclear Age

Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the possibility of nuclear war felt like a problem of days past. Now, as great-power competition heats up, the potential for nuclear conflict seems higher than at any point in decades. How did the nuclear taboo fade, and what does nuclear proliferation mean for the United States?

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra , J. Andrés Gannon and Rupal N. Mehta May 10, 2023 Why It Matters
Russia

As Nuclear Tensions Rise, Should the World Be Worried?

Since the end of World War II, nuclear weapons have threatened international relations. The Cold War produced stalemates that seemed to reduce the threat of nuclear conflict, but several countries’ more recent acquisitions of nuclear weapons have brought the world into a dangerous new era of nuclear uncertainty. With nuclear tensions on the rise once again, what lies ahead for nuclear diplomacy?

Explainer Video with Jonathan Masters and Thamine Nayeem May 2, 2023
South Korea

Evaluating Extended Deterrence at the U.S.-South Korea Summit

The Washington Declaration offers concrete and visible U.S. efforts to reinforce its extended deterrence commitment to South Korea, but the media response to its implications has been mixed.

Post by Jennifer Ahn May 2, 2023 Asia Unbound
North Korea

North Korea’s Nuclear Program, With Jenny Town

Jenny Town, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center and the director of Stimson’s 38 North program, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss North Korea’s nuclear advances and their consequences for the security situation in Northeast Asia.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Jenny Town April 11, 2023 The President’s Inbox