United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all nuclear-armed states to suspend nuclear weapons testing, warning that such tests harm humanity and undermine global trust.
Guterres made the appeal following the reported test launch by Russia of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, according to a report by Anadolu Agency on Saturday.
In a message posted on X, the UN chief said continuing nuclear testing represented a betrayal of communities that are still living with the harmful consequences of nuclear tests conducted in the past. He stressed the need to end all forms of nuclear testing while highlighting the suffering of populations affected by the devastating legacy of such tests.
Guterres also urged world leaders to move swiftly toward bringing the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) into force. He said the full implementation of the international commitment to end nuclear testing requires the treaty to become legally effective.
Russia had earlier conducted a test launch of a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile. The Russian Defence Ministry said the solid-fuel missile was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome and successfully reached its designated target at the Kura testing range in Kamchatka.
According to Moscow, the launch was not a test involving a nuclear explosion. Instead, it was conducted to assess the missile system’s technical capabilities and flight characteristics. Russian authorities described the test as successful.
The CTBT was adopted in 1996 with the aim of imposing a comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons testing worldwide. However, the treaty has yet to enter into full legal force because the required ratifications from nine key countries listed in its Annex 2 remain outstanding.
Those nine countries are the United States, Russia, China, Iran, Israel, Egypt, India, Pakistan and North Korea. The treaty cannot fully enter into force without the necessary ratifications from these states.
As of 2026, 188 countries have signed the treaty and 179 have ratified it. Although the overwhelming majority of countries have formally supported the agreement, the absence of ratification by several key states continues to prevent the CTBT from becoming fully operational.
The United Nations has long called for an end to nuclear testing and stronger efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Guterres’ latest appeal is being viewed as part of those broader international efforts to reduce nuclear risks and strengthen global commitments to nuclear disarmament.
Source: Anadolu Agency