Joint Statement Urges Nuclear-Armed States to Address Growing Risks from AI, Cyber Threats, and Geopolitical Tensions

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Nuclear-armed states must strengthen safeguards against accidental, mistaken or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons. This argues a statement signed by senior defence and foreign policy figures from across the Asia-Pacific region – co-signed by senior figures from Europe and the United States. 

The statement is released during the Munich Security Conference that annually gathers elite policymakers from around the globe to debate urgent security issues. This year’s meeting takes place shortly after the expiration of the US-Russia New START arms control agreement that restricted the size of each country’s nuclear arsenal. 

Coordinated by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN), the Nuclear Threat Initiative, the European Leadership Network, and the Grandview Institution the statement highlights the urgent need for enhanced “nuclear fail-safe” measures amid rising geopolitical tensions, the integration of artificial intelligence into nuclear systems, and growing cybersecurity threats. 

“Safeguards essential to preventing nuclear catastrophe for nearly eight decades are now being tested by disruptive technologies, heightened geopolitical tensions, and the erosion of arms control,” the statement warns. “The danger that a terrible decision may be made to use nuclear weapons in a moment of crisis is growing.” 

“In addition to the expiration of New START, last year also saw a dangerous confrontation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, including the first instance of large-scale drone combat between two nuclear-armed nations,” says Shatabhisha Shetty, APLN Director and co-signer of the statement. “The risk of unintended escalation is unacceptably high,” she adds. 

The statement identifies several emerging threats that compound the risk of unintended nuclear use: 

• Artificial Intelligence Integration: The incorporation of AI into attack warning systems, threat assessments, and decision-making processes could exacerbate the risk of nuclear use based on false or incomplete information. 

• Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities: State and non-state adversaries now possess the capabilities to launch cyberattacks that could disrupt nuclear command and control and early warning systems. 

• Strategic Instability: Growing nuclear arsenals and deteriorating arms control frameworks increase the complexity and risk of miscalculation. 

The signatories emphasise that strengthened fail-safe measures would serve as effective unilateral nuclear risk-reduction steps that require no negotiation, treaty, or verification regime. “The world cannot afford to wait for more peaceful times to reduce the risks of nuclear use,” the statement declares. 

“Nuclear powers have taken measures before to reduce nuclear risks. They can do it again,” says Ms. Shetty. 

Most urgently, the experts call on the five nuclear-weapon states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to issue a joint statement supporting nuclear fail-safe measures in connection with the NPT Review Conference beginning in New York in April. Such a declaration would reinforce the P5’s January 2022 commitment that “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” 

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Signatories 

The statement has been signed by the following signatories from the Asia-Pacific. 

The following signatories from Europe have signed: 

• Héloïse Fayet, Head of the Deterrence and Proliferation Research Programme, French Institute of International Relations (Ifri); and member of the YGLN, France  
• Lord David Hannay of Chiswick, Member of House of Lords; and former Ambassador, United Kingdom 
• Ambassador (Ret.) Tacan Ildem, Former Turkish Permanent Representative to NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe; and former NATO Assistant Secretary General, Turkey 
• Lord John Kerr of Kinlochard, Member of House of Lords; and Chairman, Centre for European Reform, United Kingdom 
• Tom McKane, Former Director General Security Policy, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom 
• Lord Martin Rees of Ludlow, Member of House of Lords and Trinity College, Cambridge, United Kingdom 
• Field Marshal The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DL,Former Chief of Defence Staff, United Kingdom 
• Ahmet Uzumcu, Former Director General, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Turkey

About the Joint Statement 

The statement was prepared jointly by the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG), the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN), the European Leadership Network (ELN), the Grandview Institution (GVI), and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). 

Media Contact: 

Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) 

Email: Fang Liu, Policy Fellow, liuf@apln.network