The 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, convened by the United Nations in New York, begins on Monday, 27 April 2026. States Parties will gather over a period of four weeks to review progress on the NPT’s three pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy since 2022.
The ELN has attended all three Preparatory Committees in the current review cycle, presenting to and engaging with officials on our multi-year projects supported by two governments: Protecting the Non-Proliferation Treaty, sponsored by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nuclear and New Technologies, sponsored by the German Federal Foreign Ministry. We are delighted to return to the RevCon for two further formal side events.
We look forward to your joining us for the events below.
Event 1: Strengthening the CTBT to safeguard the NPT
Tuesday 28 April 2026, CR 12, UNHQ, NY, 13:15-14:30*
This side event, jointly organised by Norway and the European Leadership Network (ELN), will address the critical role of the CTBT in reinforcing the NPT, focusing on current challenges and practical steps to strengthen the test-ban regime.
The discussion will highlight the continued relevance of the CTBT amid deteriorating geopolitical conditions and underscore the contribution of the CTBTO, particularly its global verification and monitoring system.
Panellists will address the CTBT’s place within the wider non-proliferation and disarmament architecture, the implications of renewed great power competition for the test-ban norm, and the importance of confidence-building measures to address compliance concerns. The event will also assess the current state of the CTBT and consider options to strengthen both the Treaty and its verification regime.
Event 2: From simulation to strategy: How AI can advance nuclear risk reduction
Friday 01 May, 2026, CR 6, UNHQ, NY, 13:15-14:30*
While the growing integration of Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs) into military systems can create benefits, these tools can also increase risks. In a nuclear crisis, the cumulative effects of EDTs could complicate decision-making, increasing the likelihood of misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and miscalculations, potentially leading to nuclear escalation. To prevent this, it is essential to explore risk reduction measures that promote a more resilient and responsible approach to nuclear decision-making while fostering trust between nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states.
This side event introduces the European Leadership Network’s ground-breaking work, conducted with the generous support of the German Federal Foreign Office and in partnership with leading technology experts to develop an AI Nuclear Risk Reduction Support Tool (NURIST). NURIST is a prototype of an AI-driven, machine learning platform designed to simulate the impact that risk reduction measures have on avoiding or tampering escalation dynamics.
During the event, the purpose of the AI-driven model, lessons learned from the first iteration of the project, and the approach’s benefits and limitations will be discussed.
*Light sandwich lunch for attendees provided from 12:30 for both events
Contact: [email protected]
Explore our work from previous engagements in this NPT cycle: 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022.
