Nuclear Ban Treaty Stalls: Can the World Disarm?

One year after a landmark treaty banning nuclear weapons took effect, the goal of a nuclear-free world appears remote. The treaty has not been signed by any country that possesses nuclear arms or relies on them for protection. This creates a major standstill. Talks between nuclear-armed states to reduce their arsenals are also frozen. With no progress on either front, a critical question is emerging: If the world's most powerful nations cannot agree to shrink their stockpiles, how can total abolition ever be achieved? The treaty, known formally as the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, makes the weapons illegal under international law for its members. Advocates are now working to build momentum, hoping more countries will join and increase pressure on nuclear states to disarm.