In a preview of the likely Russian stand at the 2026 NPT Review Conference, Dr. Sokov writes that Russia arrives at the RevCon in a visibly stronger state than was the case a year earlier. The 12-day US-Israeli military operation against Iran last summer followed by the six-week war in the spring of 2026 that could yet resume, as well as the expiration of New START without even an informal agreement on keeping limits on strategic forces have reshaped the diplomatic landscape ahead of the RevCon. Moscow’s representatives can now speak with greater confidence and appear to see an opportunity to consolidate alliances and expand support across the Global South within the NPT framework.
