Amid rising geopolitical tensions and increasing strain on the global non-proliferation regime, the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will convene under exceptionally difficult circumstances.
In her new commentary, European perspectives on the Non-Proliferation Treaty: Italy, published by the European Leadership Network, Federica Dall’Arche, VCDNP Senior Research Associate, examines Italy’s priorities ahead of the Review Conference and highlights the importance of European unity and coordination within the Treaty framework.
Dall’Arche underscores that Italy continues to view the NPT as the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation and disarmament architecture, both as a legal framework and as a platform for dialogue, transparency, and cooperation. Given the deterioration of the international security environment and the erosion of arms control agreements, Italy maintains that the Treaty remains irreplaceable and must be preserved through pragmatic, multilateral engagement and balanced implementation of its three pillars.
Particularly in a context where progress on disarmament and non-proliferation remains constrained, the commentary highlights nuclear risk reduction, transparency, and confidence-building measures as the most urgent and possibly only politically feasible tools to reduce tension and the risk of miscalculation and to rebuild cooperation among States Parties.
Dall’Arche also elaborates on the role of the European Union, stressing the importance of stronger internal cohesion and coordination to ensure that the EU can act effectively and maintain its credibility within the NPT framework.
“Strengthening internal unity and reducing visible fragmentation is essential for the EU to act and be perceived as a credible and effective bloc within the NPT framework. Presenting a more monolithic posture is paramount to significantly enhance the EU’s diplomatic leverage and resilience, helping to prevent its marginalisation in an increasingly contested international environment in which external actors have strong incentives to exploit internal divisions and weaken the EU’s collective influence”