Inside the Arms Control Association

At a time of increasing global tensions and growing risk of nuclear war, Christopher Nolan's mesmerizing, expertly-crafted, and sometimes disturbing feature-length film, Oppenheimer, provides a jolting, timely reminder for millions of moviegoers that nuclear weapons are anything but normal because they give the leaders of a few nations to power to destroy us all.

In this issue, we highlight how ACA continues its steadfast work to build domestic and international pressure for Washington and Moscow to re-engage on nuclear risk reduction and to encourage the other nuclear-armed NPT States to join the nuclear disarmament enterprise. Also, members have an opportunity to tell Congress to oppose funding for new nuclear weapons.

Sullivan will detail the President’s vision for heading off nuclear weapons competition, advancing nuclear arms control and nonproliferation measures, and reducing the risk of nuclear use. His remarks will come shortly after the Summit of G-7 Leaders on May 19-21 in Hiroshima, Japan, the target of the first atomic bombing.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to “suspend” implementation of New START does not mark the end of the treaty, his announcement makes it far more likely that, after New START expires in 2026, there will be no agreement limiting U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals for the first time since 1972.