Arms Control Today

Volume 18, Issue 4, June 22, 2026 The June 2026 Islamabad memorandum of understanding to halt the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is a flawed but welcome development. This interim agreement aims to halt a misbegotten conflict that has killed thousands of people, disrupted the global economy, and failed to address the proliferation risk posed by Iran’s nuclear program, which cannot be bombed away.

June 16, 2026 The April 28-May 22 nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference failed to adopt a final consensus document on May 22 after conference president Ambassador Do Hung Viet withheld the final document for debate due to unresolvable disagreements over how to address Iran’s nuclear program and the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. This marks the third straight failure of the NPT review process. The conference, which takes place every five years, involved some 130 states-parties.

Statement by Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy For immediate release: June 15, 2026 Media Contacts: Kelsey Davenport (202-463-8270 ext 102); Daryl G. Kimball (202)-463-8270 ext. 107) Reports that the United States and Iran finalized a preliminary deal to halt the war is a welcome development that creates a pathway for resuming negotiations on Iran's nuclear program that were underway when the United States and Israel launched their illegal attack on Iran on February 28.

The NPT Review Conference Must Address the Disarmament Deficit NGO Statement for the 2026 Review Conference on Article VI-Related Goals and Objectives For more than five decades, the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty has served as the essential framework and catalyst, albeit an imperfect one, for global efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, end nuclear testing, reduce the salience of nuclear weapons, and advance disarmament diplomacy to help achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.

June 2026 By Daryl G. Kimball Stephen Warnke, 65, a member of the Arms Control Association Board of Directors, died unexpectedly May 13 while traveling in England with his wife, Susan Sommer. He was recently retired from a quarter-century career with the New York law firm Ropes & Gray and looking forward to enjoying life and helping make the world better.

June 2026 Thirty Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives are urging President Donald Trump’s administration to provide Congress with information regarding Israel’s undeclared nuclear weapons program. They made their request in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio May 4 that represents a rare congressional effort to challenge longstanding U.S. policy regarding its ally Israel’s nuclear posture. Led by Rep.

June 2026 By Xiaodon Liang Russia aims to deploy on combat duty the first regiment of the RS-28 Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the end of this year, following a second successful test of the missile. The test took place May 12, according to a statement published the same day by the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

June 2026 By Kelsey Davenport U.S. President Donald Trump said he has been in communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but declined to provide any details about the exchange of messages. Trump’s comments came as he was leaving Beijing May 15 following a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which included discussions about North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

June 2026 By Xiaodon Liang The U.S. Army will not deploy an intermediate-range ground-launched missile unit to Germany, reversing a commitment made in July 2024 to reassure European allies following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The decision came after a public display of acrimony between U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, sparked by Merz’s criticism of the Israeli-U.S. war against Iran.

June 2026 By Kelsey Davenport The United States announced it would contribute funds to repair damage done to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and urged other states to also commit resources to securing the site.