G7 ‘concerned’ at Russia and China’s nuclear build-up

The remarks come ahead of a month-long conference to revise the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

G7 countries on Friday insisted on their support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), warning of the dangers from a Russian and Chinese build-up.

“We are concerned with China’s and Russia’s significant nuclear weapons build-up and modernisation,” the G7 Non-proliferation Directors Group said in a statement published on the French foreign ministry website.

The group brings together the diplomats from the Group of Seven countries – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US – who lead work on limiting the spread of nuclear arms.

Their statement comes ahead of the Monday opening of a month-long New York conference to revise the NPT, under the shadow of intensifying international competition and multiple crises with nuclear dimensions such as the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

“We commit to working with all states parties to achieve a successful review conference in 2026 and to pursue the broadest possible consensus on measures to reinforce the NPT regime across all its three pillars,” the G7 negotiators said – referring to disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful use of atomic energy.

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The group added that they “strongly encourage the United States’ pursuit of multilateral strategic stability”.