February was a stark reminder yet again that threats to global security are on the rise. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un resumed missile tests and pledged to expand his country’s nuclear arsenal. A Russian drone attacked Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant even as world leaders gathered in Europe for the 2025 Munich Security Conference. Meanwhile, in the United States, the dismissal of hundreds of federal employees tasked with overseeing the country’s nuclear weapon stockpile has raised confusion and serious concerns about nuclear security risks.

Amid these developments, the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG) issued a statement at the Munich Security Conference outlining steps to reverse the slide toward nuclear war. Seven APLN members have endorsed this statement, stressing the importance of collective action in addressing nuclear risks.

In addition, we published two timely commentaries on pressing global security issues. Tom Barber analysed the destabilising impact of the Trump administration’s erratic policies on existential risks. Rahat Iqbal argued the case for a transition to nuclear energy to enhance Pakistan’s climate resilience.

In our regular Korea Times column, featuring insights from APLN members, this month Maria Rost Rublee examined the impacts of resumed US nuclear testing on global nonproliferation norms, and John Tilemann called for the Asia-Pacific to lead global nuclear risk reduction and disarmament initiatives.

In this month’s events, for our Asia Dialogue on China-US Relations project, we held a webinar to discuss Kristy Hsu’s APLN report on how to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. We also organised a dinner reception with our New Delhi-based network members, discussing Indian perspective on shifting geopolitics.

As always, we welcome feedback from our members and partners. If you have suggestions for a publication, funding opportunity, or project, please feel free to reach out.

APLN members Gareth Evans, Nobuyasu Abe, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, Shen Dingli, Chung-in Moon, Manpreet Sethi, and APLN Executive Director Shatabhisha Shetty have endorsed a statement from the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG), calling for leaders of nuclear-armed states to reaffirm a commitment to sustain the existing moratoria on explosive nuclear testing, advance nuclear fail-safe in every nation with nuclear arms, affirm and strengthen the fundamental principles governing the use of outer space. 

The Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG) operates as an independent and informal initiative, with participants who reflect the diversity of the Euro-Atlantic region from the United States, Canada, Russia, and fifteen European countries. The statement was released at the 2025 Munich Security Conference (MSC).

APLN hosted its first event in India since 2017, bringing together our New Delhi-based network members for a dinner reception on 3 February 2025. Ambassador Shyam Saran gave an engaging keynote address on “Are We in a New Cold War – An Indian Perspective on Shifting Geopolitics”.

Seen in the photo are APLN Members R Rajaraman, Shyam Saran, SP Tyagi, Sujata Mehta, C Uday Bhaskar, Amit Sharma, Siddharth Varadarajan, Manpreet Sethi (APLN Acting Director) and staff members Frank O’Donnell and Tanvi Kulkarni.