France Declares It Will Not Join Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty

France will not join the nuclear weapons ban treaty, announced French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. "France has not participated in discussions surrounding the nuclear weapons ban treaty. France is not part of this treaty and will not join it. Thus, this treaty bears no legal obligation for us," said Le Drian in response to questions from members of the French National Assembly.

The minister emphasized that this is France's consistent position, shared by its key international partners. According to the Foreign Minister, the treaty offers no benefits for security concerning the risks associated with the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

He reminded that France is a participant in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which came into force in 1970. The nuclear weapons ban treaty came into effect on January 22. It is a legally binding international agreement that prohibits the development, testing, possession, acquisition, transfer, and use of nuclear weapons. It has been signed by 86 states and ratified by 51 countries.

Countries in the "nuclear club"—Russia, the USA, the UK, France, and China—declared in 2018 that they would not sign the treaty. They argue that it does not address critical issues that must be resolved globally to achieve sustainable nuclear disarmament and contradicts the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, potentially complicating further progress in disarmament efforts.