As 2025 ushered in with news of the Doomsday Clock being the closest it has ever been at 89 seconds to midnight to a nuclear disaster, the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is of heightened importance. Convened from March 3 to March 7, 2025, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the 3MSP marked a significant milestone in global nuclear disarmament efforts, bringing together representatives from 86 countries and numerous civil society organizations to create new avenues for realizing the goals of the TPNW.

Expectations for 3MSP

Ahead of the 3MSP, expectations were high for substantive progress in implementing the TPNW. One major focus was advancing the Vienna Action Plan, a 50-point framework adopted in the 2022 First Meeting of States Parties. Said action plan aimed to universalize the TPNW, establish mechanisms for nuclear disarmament verification, and set the groundwork for a trust fund to assist victims of nuclear weapons use and testing.

Another key expectation for 3MSP was to challenge nuclear deterrence policies. Seeing as the Second Meeting of States Parties established for the first time that the international community must shift its focus to challenging nuclear deterrence narratives, it was expected for 3MSP to further advance this work. Advocates and participating states sought to counter the dominant security paradigms that justify the existence of nuclear arsenals, emphasizing the humanitarian consequences and risks posed by nuclear weapons. 

Further, intersessional progress on issues of relevance to the TPNW was also a top priority to illustrate the urgency of the TPNW. As the Vienna Action Plan in 2022 set out the creation of three informal working groups to advance the objectives of the TPNW, the 3MSP was eagerly awaiting for updates on work areas such as victim assistance and environmental remediation. In particular, expectations were high for the Victim Assistance, Environmental Remediation and International Cooperation working group to report on Article 6 and 7 of the TPNW to continue discussions on the establishment of an international trust fund for victim assistance and environmental remediation at the 3MSP.

Looking ahead to a future free of nuclear weapons: Outcomes of the 3MSP

The meeting concluded with several significant accomplishments that reinforce the urgency that nuclear arsenals pose to the international community. A major outcome was the adoption of a strong political declaration rejecting nuclear weapons for military deterrence, noting that  “Nuclear deterrence is posited on the very existence of nuclear risk, which threatens the survival of all.” The declaration underscored that nuclear weapons pose a universal threat, emphasizing how all signatories must work towards the “global public good” of a world free of nuclear weapons.

In addition to the declaration, states parties agreed on a comprehensive set of decisions to strengthen the implementation of the TPNW. These measures included efforts to encourage more countries to join the TPNW, the establishment of verification mechanisms, and closer collaboration with other international disarmament initiatives. The commitment to a robust intersessional process ensures that progress continues, especially as the first TPNW Review Conference is set to occur from November 30 - December 4, 2026.

A key success in the 3MSP conference was the focus on incorporating a wide array of voices to advance the reach of the TPNW. A notable success of the 3MSP was the incorporation of voices from communities affected by nuclear weapons. Taking place alongside 3MSP, Nuclear Ban Week gave an opening for civil society to host events focused on tackling the threat of nuclear weapons through the universalization of the TPNW. Events during Nuclear Ban Week such as the Nuclear Survivors Forum invited Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors to speak to the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, while highlighting the need for urgent progress in global disarmament through the TPNW. 

Furthermore, side events such as “Gender Mainstreaming in the TPNW: Shaping a Just and Equal Future” and the Youth MSP Conference gave space for discussions of youth advocacy and gendered considerations in the realm of disarmament.

Another critical development was the presentation of an updated working paper from the Scientific Advisory Group. This report provided detailed recommendations on how TPNW states can effectively challenge nuclear weapon doctrines while highlighting the catastrophic risks associated with nuclear deterrence. The scientific findings strengthened the argument that the only way to guarantee security is through complete nuclear disarmament.

The Third Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW reinforced global momentum toward a world free of nuclear weapons through greater universalization of the TPNW. As the world looks ahead to the first TPNW Review Conference in 2026, the momentum from the 3MSP serves as a powerful reminder that nuclear weapons are not a security guarantee, but an existential threat that must be eliminated. As such, 3MSP made clear that the only viable future is one without nuclear weapons, and that the work to achieve it is far from over.

Valentina Guerra Pinilla is a fourth year student at Brock University. She has been completing an internship with Mines Action Canada as part of her Political Science degree.