Russia withdraws as signatory of global nuclear test ban – JURIST

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a bill that withdraws Russia as a signatory to the global nuclear test ban treaty.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is an international treaty aimed at banning all nuclear explosions on the Earth’s surface, in the atmosphere, underwater and underground. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996 and has been signed by 184 countries and ratified by 168 countries.

In a post on the Russian State Duma’s website, it said that “438 members of the State Duma signed the bill” before calling previous US condemnation “[c]ynicism and double standards” in light of Washington’s lack of ratification of the nuclear treaty. 

In response to Russia’s withdrawal the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Robert Floyd, called the action “very disappointing and deeply regrettable.” Floyd previously stated Russia’s actions to revoke the CTBT “goes against renewed global determination to see [the treaty] enter into force.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement that “it represents a significant step in the wrong direction, taking us further from, not closer to, entry into force. Russia’s action will only serve to set back confidence in the international arms control regime.” The US Embassy in Kyiv also called the action a “significant step in the wrong direction.” The European Union’s Ambassador to the International Organisations in Vienna, Carl Hallergard said that “[t]he European Union deeply deplores this decision by Russia.”

In addition to the US, the CTBT has yet to be ratified by China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran and Egypt.

The treaty sets up a global verification regime to monitor compliance, incorporating a network of monitoring stations equipped with various technologies to detect any signs of nuclear explosions. These monitoring stations help detect and identify any suspicious activities related to nuclear testing.

The main objective of the CTBT is to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and advance disarmament efforts. It aims to constrain the development and improvement of nuclear weapons technology by prohibiting countries from conducting nuclear test explosions. The treaty also encourages countries to pursue negotiations in good faith for further disarmament measures.

Russia says it intends to maintain its collaboration with the treaty’s verification system and implementing organization.