The world cannot afford a third consecutive failure. An NPT emptied of meaning would not only pave the way for an uncontrolled arms race but would also undermine the very credibility of multilateralism and diplomacy as tools for conflict resolution.

On March 30, 2026, hundreds of people gathered in Fiji to remember the victims of nuclear testing on the Pacific islands. They will be present at the UN in New York, along with survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

Nakamitsu Izumi, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, sounded a clear and unequivocal warning last Friday in Tokyo: a new failure to reach an agreement could lead to the "emptying" of the NPT.