The New Nuclear Age

The escalating global nuclear arms race threatens the stability of the long-standing deterrence model that has prevented large-scale nuclear conflict since 1945. Emerging challenges, including the integration of artificial intelligence into military decision-making, the development of hypersonic glide vehicles, and the potential for space-based weaponry, destabilize traditional strategic calculations. While the number of nuclear-armed states remains limited, shifting geopolitical power dynamics—specifically regarding Russia’s threats in Ukraine and China’s rapid arsenal expansion—undermine existing arms control frameworks. National security correspondent David Sanger and Harvard professor Matthew Bunn analyze these risks, debating the efficacy of current deterrence strategies and the necessity of new diplomatic approaches. Despite the expiration of key treaties like New START, maintaining human control over nuclear launch decisions and slowing the pace of military escalation remain critical to preventing catastrophic outcomes in an increasingly volatile security environment.