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MOSCOW — Following the collapse of the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a scathing statement blaming the United States and its Western allies for the forum’s failure to reach a consensus.
The four-week conference, chaired by Vietnamese Ambassador Do Hung Viet, concluded on May 22, 2026, without adopting a final outcome document. According to Moscow, the failure was an inevitable reflection of the “dramatic deterioration” of global security and a stark division among state parties.
The Russian Foreign Ministry singled out Western military actions in the Middle East as the primary catalyst for the conference’s gridlock. Moscow explicitly pointed to military operations led by Israel and the United States against Iran over the past year—specifically citing strikes in June 2025 and early 2026—as the chief disruption.
“The aggression by Israel and the US against Iran… under the far-fetched pretext of defending the nuclear non-proliferation regime became a major stumbling block in terms of achieving the forum’s objectives. These unprovoked, unjustified and unlawful actions can have disastrous consequences for the NPT.”
Russia accused Western powers of using the non-proliferation treaty as a geopolitical tool to “settle political scores and justify the use of force,” asserting that the UN forum was fundamentally ill-equipped to handle the fallout of the Iran situation.
Allegations of a “Destructive Western Agenda”
The statement leveled sharp criticism at the “collective West,” particularly targeting NATO and European Union members. Moscow claimed Western delegations arrived in New York to pursue “vested political interests” rather than productive dialogue, shifting the conference’s focus toward criticism of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea (DPRK).
Furthermore, Russia accused European nations of hypocrisy regarding nuclear exercises:
- Dual Allegiance: Moscow claimed European states used “cynical and clumsy” arguments to justify their participation in shared nuclear missions.
- Lack of Transparency: The Ministry stated these nations flatly refused to adopt more transparent postures regarding nuclear practices that Russia argues run counter to NPT rules.
- Strategic Blindness: Russia also criticized rigid disarmament advocates, stating they failed to account for “present-day military, political and global strategic reality.”
Despite the acrimony, Russia praised the efforts of Chairman Do Hung Viet, noting that a draft outcome document came remarkably close to a consensus. However, the ministry stated the document was ultimately withheld from a final vote because the U.S. and its allies maintained an unyielding “hard line” on specific sticking points.
According to Moscow, the Chair’s decision not to force a vote on the contested text successfully prevented a deeper political confrontation that could have poisoned the next review cycle.
Despite the lack of a formal joint declaration, Moscow maintained a firm stance on the endurance of the treaty itself. The Foreign Ministry concluded that the collapse of the talks “does not cast a shadow on the NPT’s relevance,” reaffirming that the accord remains the “cornerstone of international security and nuclear non-proliferation.”
