Arms Control Without Treaties

Author(s): Névine Schepers, Oliver Thränert
Series Editor(s): Brian Carlson
Series: CSS Policy Perspectives
Volume: 9
Issue: 3
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zürich
Publication Year: 2021

Increasing tensions between nuclear powers and the disruptive potential of various technologies are heightening nuclear risks, argue Névine Schepers and Oliver Thränert in this CSS Policy Perspective. While nuclear arms control treaties may be difficult to negotiate, informal measures can provide opportunities to reduce risks. Confidence-building measures aimed at improving communication, understanding and transparency should be developed between the US and China, or existing US-Russian ones could be “trilateralized.” Furthermore, unilateral initiatives, ranging from declarations of restraint to the suspension of certain systems, could help break the current deadlock and pave the way for treaty negotiations.

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