CNS Senior Fellow Miles Pomper, President and CEO of the Pacific Forum David Santoro, and VCDNP Senior Fellow Dr. Nikolai Sokov published an occasional paper on the future of NATO’s nuclear posture and arms control in an international environment characterised by challenges that have emerged in recent years, including the dismantlement of key arms control regimes, Russia’s attempts to leverage its nuclear weapons in the context of the war against Ukraine, and the massive increase in China’s nuclear arsenal.
The paper addresses the background of US/NATO nuclear policy since the end of the Cold War to the present day with primary attention to the interaction of deterrence and arms control. After that it delves into the evolution of Russian nuclear doctrine and practice as well as its attitude toward arms control.
The occasional paper next discusses China’s nuclear modernisation and views on arms control. It finishes with possible options of US and NATO nuclear posture options as well as a discussion of opportunities and challenges to NATO arms control and non-proliferation policy offering a range of practice-oriented policy recommendations.