The underlying issue: Nuclear weapons and their proliferation
By Pablo Ruiz*
The fundamental question is not up for debate: Should countries possess nuclear weapons? There are nine nuclear powers. In the current landscape, France will expand its nuclear arsenal; the Finnish government is set to introduce a bill to allow the country to acquire them; and Germany already has the capability to produce them whenever it chooses.
While the world follows the Israeli-American war against Iran through the media, and while it is repeatedly argued that the aim is to curb Iran’s nuclear program, these governments, the press, and the international community continue to ignore the fundamental issue—and the paradox—that both the US and Israel do possess nuclear weapons, also known as weapons of mass destruction. China, Russia, Pakistan, France, the UK, India, and North Korea are also part of this select group of nuclear powers.
Similarly, last November, on the United Nations News Portal, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, raised a concerning point, without providing further details, “He warned… that the world could go from 9 to ’25 or 30′ countries with nuclear weapons if the international non-proliferation regime—which he described as an essential pillar of ‘trust and predictability’ in a fragmented global landscape—is weakened.” However, Grossi did not specify which “25 or 30” countries he was referring to that could possess nuclear weapons in the future.
The Spanish newspaper El País reported last January that the Russian government accused France and the United Kingdom of wanting to send nuclear weapons to Ukraine; President Zelensky denied this. However, in 2022, the issue of possessing nuclear weapons was on the table, as noted by the same Spanish newspaper in the article “Ukraine Pressures Its Western Allies by Opening the Debate on Regaining the Atomic Bomb.”
On the other hand, French President Emmanuel Macron, in this complex scenario and in light of the United States’ clear priorities, argued that Europe must take “increasingly direct control of its own security,” noting that “the rules-based order is in ruins” and that “to be free, one must be feared, and to be feared, one must be powerful.” In this context, he ordered an expansion of France’s nuclear arsenal.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva shares this same complex outlook in Latin America, stating that in the current situation, “we view defense as a deterrent because, if we do not prepare to defend ourselves, someone will invade us any day now,” and that “we do not need to buy from the ‘Arms Dealers.’ We need to produce. We need to do it ourselves because no one will help us”; although he reiterated that the continent must remain a zone of peace.
In Finland, the issue of nuclear weapons is also under debate, and the government wants to introduce amendments that would allow the country to possess them. Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen argues that the security environment in Finland and Europe has changed significantly since the start of the war in Ukraine. “The government’s proposal would change this situation, allowing for ‘the introduction, transport, delivery, or possession of a nuclear weapon in Finland, provided it is related to the country’s military defense,'” Häkkänen stated in a BBC report.
In Germany, the issue of possessing its own nuclear weapons has also been under consideration in recent years. In the article “Germany’s new old nuclear dilemma” by Marina Henke, a professor of International Relations at the Hertie School, the scholar states that “Germany faces new challenges in managing its dependence on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.” Germany’s Zeitenwende has sparked debates about possible alternatives, including nuclear weapons sharing agreements with the United Kingdom and France. At the same time, Germany is making significant investments in deep strike and missile defense capabilities.”
An INFOBAE article on nuclear weapons in Europe quotes German Brigadier General Frank Pieper, who argued that “Germany needs its own nuclear weapons.” The general insists that these must be “primarily tactical and mobile, capable of countering the ultimate threat from Russia.” He believes that the U.S. stance toward Ukraine and Venezuela demonstrates that “Germany and Europe cannot base their existence on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.”
The truth is—and this is based on a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)—that Germany does indeed possess the technical capabilities to manufacture its own nuclear weapons.
The report notes that “Germany possesses capabilities in most scientific, technical, and manufacturing fields at such a broad level that it would allow it to develop a viable nuclear weapons program, should it decide to do so” and that “ongoing scientific, technical, and manufacturing activities in Germany inevitably involve dual- or multiple-use technologies that are relevant to nuclear weaponization.” The report is based on “compiled open sources” and indicates that (allegedly) “there are currently no indicators of proliferation activities within the state or through collaborations with other states.”
In her article, cited above, Marina Henke confirms these claims: “As far as nuclear latency is concerned, Germany still has the technical capability to develop a nuclear weapon if it so desires,” and “for the time being, one could say that Germany could still build a small nuclear arsenal, if it really wanted to,” she notes.
She also notes in her article that “around 64% of Germans oppose the construction of a German atomic bomb, while only 31% are in favor and 5% remain undecided.”
While it is true that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly rejected the idea of a German nuclear weapons program and has mentioned his commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the fact remains that they have the capabilities to do the opposite. One must ask: Is it a coincidence that they possess these capabilities specifically for building nuclear weapons, or have they quietly built them? Why does the IAEA not demand that these capabilities be dismantled, as it does of the Islamic Republic of Iran?
In short, the underlying issue is that no country should possess or develop nuclear weapons. In this regard, over the past decade, various countries have made their voices heard and signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which entered into force on January 22, 2021.
According to the Nuclear Disarmament Alliance, 95 countries have signed it, and 74 are States Parties to this Treaty.
“This agreement prohibits the use, development, production, testing, threat, and stockpiling of nuclear weapons and obligates the countries that have ratified it so far not to assist, encourage, or induce anyone in any way to carry out any activity prohibited by the Treaty,” states the Red Cross.
The debate should not be about whether or not to have nuclear weapons; the debate is that it is time for all nations on earth to join in the definitive ban on weapons of mass destruction.
* Pablo Ruiz holds a degree in journalism from the Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano and is a member of the Observatory for the Closure of the School of the Americas in Chile (an organization affiliated with World BEYOND War and the International Peace Bureau). He is the editor of the magazine *El Derecho de Vivir en Paz* (http://www.derechoalapaz.org)
Sources:https://www.derechoalapaz.com/el-tema-de-fondo-las-armas-nucleares-y-su-proliferacion
Disclaimer: This article was translated and originally written by the author(s). The views expressed do not necessarily represent the official position of the International Peace Bureau.
Letter for nuclear non-proliferation in Germany
We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, wish to express the following:
1 – We have learned that the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, stated that the number of countries possessing nuclear weapons could increase from 9 to 25 or 30, without specifying which countries. However, according to an IAEA report from March 2025, Germany has achieved the scientific, technical, and manufacturing capabilities to produce its own nuclear weapons. The proliferation of new nuclear weapons is a very serious matter and violates the efforts of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We cannot forget that Germany spearheaded two world wars that humanity remembers.
2 – We express our deep concern regarding this IAEA report, which states that Germany has the capacity to manufacture nuclear weapons in the short term if it so chooses. Adding to this are statements by German politicians expressing the need for Germany to create the strongest army in Europe, which is impossible without nuclear weapons. Several European governments, including Germany, are increasingly speaking of the need to prepare their populations for a possible nuclear war. We consider these statements irresponsible, provocative, and tantamount to calling for preparations for nuclear war.
3 – For these reasons, we call upon the UN, the IAEA, the international community, and international organizations to demand the end and dismantling of Germany’s capabilities to build its own nuclear weapons. Germany must respect the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. At the same time, it must demand the withdrawal of the nuclear weapons stationed at Büchel by the United States.