PRESS RELEASE #NUCLEARBAN
January 22, 2026 – Five years since the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons came into force (TPNW)
Five years after the historic moment of January 22, 2021, when the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force, the world continues to live under the shadow of an arsenal of 12,000 nuclear warheads. Despite the progress that has been made, the threat remains real, daily, and deeply incompatible with the values of peace, security, and human dignity.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is the first international legal framework to make nuclear weapons illegal, as was previously the case with chemical and biological weapons. More than 99 states have already acceded to the Treaty, demonstrating that the international community can move towards a new era of security based not on deterrence and fear, but on cooperation and human security.
1. The Treaty changes international norms
The TPNW has already begun to shift global expectations and the framework for discussion, treating nuclear weapons as illegal and unacceptable under international law.
2. It influences the policies of even non-signatory states
Even countries that have not acceded to the Treaty are being forced to rethink their policies as international pressure and changing norms create a new security environment.
3. It strengthens cooperation between states and civil society
The TPNW has created a powerful coalition of states, organizations, and institutions working together to eliminate nuclear weapons, strengthening collective action.
4. It reveals the true cost of nuclear weapons
The Treaty brings to the fore the humanitarian, environmental, and economic consequences of nuclear weapons, undermining the legitimacy of investment in them.
5. Creates a new framework for global security
The TPNW promotes a model of security based on cooperation and human protection, rather than deterrence and nuclear threats.
Greece, however, remains outside the Treaty.
At a time of increasing geopolitical tensions, our country has the opportunity—and the responsibility—to stand on the right side of history. To choose peace over threat, international law over nuclear dependence, human security over strategic uncertainty.
We call on the Greek government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
Greece’s accession will send a clear message: that our country actively supports the global effort for a world without nuclear weapons, that it recognizes the danger they pose to humanity, and that it chooses a foreign policy based on peace, diplomacy, and respect for life. We would like to remind you that Greece has ratified all international treaties banning other weapons of mass destruction.
At the same time, we call on civil society organizations, municipalities, and regions to publicly support this effort.
In Greece, but also around the world, hundreds of cities—from Athens and Paris to New York and Sydney—have joined the international “Cities Appeal” movement, calling on their governments to accede to the Treaty. Local government can play a decisive role by expressing the voice of citizens and increasing pressure for a historic decision. In Greece, 98 municipalities and the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece have already expressed their support for the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, calling on the Greek government to sign and ratify it.
Greece can and must be part of this global effort.
Not only for moral reasons, but also for security reasons: nuclear weapons do not offer protection, they only offer the risk of a mistake, an accident, or an escalation that would be catastrophic for everyone.
Five years after the Treaty came into force, let us take the next step. Let us choose a world where security is based not on the threat of annihilation, but on human life, cooperation, and peace.
Greece can contribute to this future.
The time is now.
This press release is endorsed by the following organizations:
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Παρατηρητήριο Διεθνών Οργανισμών και Παγκοσμιοποίησης – ΠΑΔΟΠ
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“Κοινωνική και περιβαλλοντολογική Πρωτοβουλία Κέρκυρας”
