Non-proliferation is the most pressing need in the world and that the US and Russia have a chance to lead the way, believes Michael Binyon, a foreign affairs specialist from The Times.
“It’s a question of trust. If it is clear that both countries can trust each other’s verification process, then the whole disarmament procedures have credibility and it could possibly be extended to those other nations that are building up their stockpiles, like India and Pakistan.”
Some world nations developed nuclear weapons trying to achieve higher status, and now the top goal is to explain that it was wrong, Viktor Kremenyuk from the USA and Canada Institute in Moscow maintains.
“Russia is psychologically prepared to go that far and I believe the US is also prepared. Other nations are not. So the problem now is whether we can explain that to other nations that they do not need nuclear weapons and if the signing of this treaty will help to explain it, then it of course will be a tremendous diplomatic and psychological breakthrough.”