NATO criticized China and Russia over their nuclear weapons policies and urged both countries to work with the US to establish greater stability and transparency at an upcoming international conference, Reuters reported.
In a statement, the Alliance members stressed their "strong commitment to the full implementation" of the treaty. of the 1970 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The statement came ahead of a review conference of the treaty in New York next week, amid geopolitical instability, including Russia's war in Ukraine and the US-Israeli war in Iran.
"Russia has violated key arms control commitments and has used irresponsibly threatening nuclear rhetoric. China continues to rapidly expand and diversify its nuclear arsenal without transparency," NATO said in a statement.
NATO members "strongly support the United States' pursuit of multilateral strategic stability," the statement added.
In an interview with "Reuters" NATO Assistant Secretary General Boris Ruge cited Russia's use of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile in Ukraine as yet another example of Moscow's irresponsible "nuclear signaling."
He said, "Today we are faced with a Russia that has withdrawn from all major arms control agreements, that is... developing all kinds of... nuclear weapons delivery systems, and that is engaged in the biggest war in Europe since 1945."
In February, Moscow assured that it would remain a responsible nuclear power after the expiration of the New START treaty, which sets limits on American and Russian missiles, launchers, and strategic warheads.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's government has criticized France's plans to expand its nuclear arsenal as "highly destabilizing." a move that poses a potential threat to Moscow.
Boris Ruge defended France's move as a "measured, reasonable and transparent response to the threats we face".
"We are a defensive alliance. We do not brandish our nuclear weapons. We do not engage in the irresponsible nuclear rhetoric that we hear very regularly from Mr. Putin," he criticized.
China also rejected Western criticism that its nuclear weapons buildup is opaque.
In a preview of the upcoming conference, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said that "China always keeps its nuclear power at the minimum level required by national security and will never engage in a nuclear arms race.".
The exact size of the countries' nuclear arsenals is a secret. But the Federation of American Scientists estimates that Russia has about 4,400 nuclear warheads, followed by the United States with 3,700, China with 620, France with 290 and the United Kingdom with 225.
India, Pakistan and North Korea also possess nuclear weapons. Israel is also considered a nuclear power, but the country has neither confirmed nor denied possessing nuclear weapons.
Ruge said NATO hopes the conference will lead to a document agreed by all parties to the NPT that emphasizes transparency, risk reduction and strategic stability. The treaty has been signed by about 190 countries.
But at the last two conferences, in 2015 and 2022, no agreement was reached on a common statement on the outcome of the negotiations and the next steps.
"Even if we were unable to reach agreement on the document, this - in our opinion - would not call into question the significance and validity of the NPT itself," commented Boris Ruge.