Ambassador Do Hung Viet Warns Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Faces Most Difficult Period in Decades

President of the 11th NPT Review Conference, Do Hung Viet, cites the most challenging time for nuclear non-proliferation as New York negotiations begin.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 8:26 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Anadolu Agency

Navigating a Crisis of Confidence in Global Arms Control

The 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) opened at the United Nations headquarters under a cloud of historic strategic instability. Ambassador Do Hung Viet, the conference president and Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the UN, told reporters in New York that the treaty’s foundational architecture is facing its toughest test since its inception in 1970. Viet characterized the current period as the most difficult for the NPT regime, noting that the erosion of trust between nuclear-armed powers and non-nuclear states has reached a critical threshold that threatens the long-term viability of international law.

A Broad Diplomatic Effort to Build Consensus Amid Friction

Prior to the formal commencement of the summit, Ambassador Viet engaged in a months-long diplomatic campaign to bridge the widening gap between member states. These extensive consultations spanned the Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, aiming to identify potential areas of agreement before the high-stakes negotiations began. In his capacity as president, Viet emphasized that his primary objective was to facilitate a structured dialogue that moves beyond generic rhetoric toward substantive assessments of treaty compliance. Despite these efforts, he acknowledged that the task of fostering unity is complicated by a global security landscape defined by open conflict and a renewed nuclear arms race.

Managing Expectations for Regional Conflict Resolution

Addressing the limitations of the multilateral forum, Ambassador Viet offered a sobering perspective on what the conference can realistically achieve. He cautioned that the NPT Review Conference should not be viewed as a primary vehicle for settling specific regional disputes or strategic military tensions. Instead, he argued that the summit’s utility lies in its narrow focus on the treaty’s three pillars: non-proliferation, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and the eventual elimination of nuclear arsenals. By tempering expectations for immediate geopolitical breakthroughs, Viet sought to focus the delegates’ attention on the technical and legal commitments that underpin the global non-proliferation framework.