The end of the era of disarmament: states are building up nuclear arsenals

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported on the resumption of the arms race between nuclear powers.

This is stated in the annual SIPRI report.

Researchers note that almost all nuclear powers in 2024 had programs to modernize existing weapons and were developing new versions. A new nuclear arms race is emerging.

“The total global stockpile of nuclear warheads is 12,241 units. Of these, approximately 9,614 are in military stockpiles for potential use – approximately 29 more than in the previous year,” SIPRI noted.

As of January 2025, 4,000 warheads are deployed on missiles or in operational bases, including approximately 2,100 on high alert.

Nuclear powers are considered to be:

• USA
• Russia
• Great Britain
• France
• China
• India
• Pakistan
• North Korea
• Israel.

According to SIPRI, the resumption of nuclear disputes in Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia indicates the potential development of nuclear weapons by other states as well.

“Over the decades, the number of nuclear weapons in the world has been steadily decreasing – at the height of the Cold War it was five times greater than today. This decrease is primarily due to the gradual dismantling of decommissioned warheads by Russia and the United States,” the report says.

However, SIPRI has been recording an increase in the number of combat-ready nuclear weapons for some time.

The institute believes that more new nuclear weapons will soon be delivered than old ones will be decommissioned, so the total stockpile could grow again in the coming years.

“The era of reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world, which has lasted since the end of the Cold War, is coming to an end,” said SIPRI expert Hans Christensen.

Earlier, Emmanuel Macron said that France could use nuclear weapons to defend the European Union .