The treaty is reviewed every five years as part of efforts to reduce nuclear risks and prevent the expansion of nuclear arsenals around the world.
U.N. Ambassador Gustavo Zlauvinen said Russia had tried to make changes to the treaty that would “create chaos” later in the negotiations.
“It’s like we made a movie this month, but didn’t have the final picture,” Zlauvinen said.
The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons says inaction is inexcusable at a time of heightened risk.
Beatrice Fihn, the group’s executive director, said: “In the face of an unacceptably dangerous global situation, this outcome is very minor and a complete abdication of responsibility.”
“Nuclear-armed states have not only failed to make progress on their disarmament obligations, but spent more than $82 billion to maintain and upgrade their nuclear arsenals at a time when the risk of using nuclear weapons is higher than ever, the review conference failed to Any action is inexcusable,” Fihn added.
The threat of a nuclear disaster has loomed for months since the plant fell under Russian control in March. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russian troops of storing heavy weapons inside the complex and using it as a cover to launch attacks, knowing that Ukraine cannot fight back without risking hitting one of the plant’s six reactors.
“We condemn the intervention of the representatives of the Russian Federation in the operation of (the power plant) and the efforts to expand the Russian Federation’s control over the power plant,” the joint statement said.
“We demand that Russia immediately withdraw its armed forces from Ukraine and return full control of (power plants) and all nuclear facilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders to the relevant Ukrainian authorities to ensure their safe and secure operation.”
The NPT was first signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. According to the United Nations, 191 parties have signed the treaty, including five nuclear-weapon states.
