"The Nuclear Club could potentially grow to 25 countries due to US policy
The rapprochement between the United States and Russia, as well as uncertainty about Washington's security guarantees, have forced a number of countries, including Germany, Japan, Poland, South Korea and South Korea, to intensify discussions on the possibility of developing their own nuclear weapons.
Here's What We Know
According to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the official owners of nuclear weapons are the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom. However, India, Israel, Pakistan, and North Korea also possess such arsenals, and the possibility of expanding the list of nuclear powers is becoming a subject of global discussion.
The future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the country should decide whether it can be subject to the nuclear safeguards of the UK and France. This sparked a broad public debate, although Germany officially continues to rely on the 20 US nuclear bombs deployed at the Buchel airbase.
In short, from 1983 to the present day, 20 US B61 nuclear bombs have been stationed at the German airbase Buchel, 100 km away. German officials insist that the United States has given no indication of withdrawing this nuclear shield. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called the debate "an escalation of a discussion that is not needed". Nevertheless, some officials have begun to publicly voice opinions on whether Germany should consider acquiring its own nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, in Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk suggested considering building its own nuclear arsenal or deploying French warheads, although President Andrzej Duda said that Poland would be better off with American nuclear weapons.
In South Korea, the idea of so-called "nuclear preparedness" is gaining popularity due to threats from North Korea and Russia. Some politicians are calling on the US to allow the country to accumulate nuclear materials, which would allow it to quickly create weapons if necessary.
Interestingly, Japan, the only country in the world to have been attacked with nuclear weapons, is also facing increasingly active discussions about changing its neutral status. Despite political and historical taboos, the country has significant plutonium reserves and the technological potential to develop weapons in a short time.
Analysts warn that due to the withdrawal of US security guarantees, the world may be on the verge of expanding the club of nuclear powers to 15-25 countries, which would threaten the NPT and global stability.
Source: The Financial Times
