The European Union has reaffirmed its full support for the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems, in a statement delivered on 11 June 2026 at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting in Vienna. The statement, issued by the EU Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna, was delivered under agenda item 11: Any Other Business: Safeguards in the Middle East, and was aligned with by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Serbia, and Ukraine.
The EU considers the 1995 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Resolution on the Middle East as valid until its goals are achieved and strongly supports the outcome of the 2010 NPT Review Conference on the Middle East. It welcomed the six sessions of the UN Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction and their outcomes. The EU recalled that such zones can only be established on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among states of the region concerned. Especially at a time of particular instability and tensions in the region, the EU strongly encouraged all stakeholders, and especially the states of the region, to engage in meaningful consultations to build an inclusive and consensus-based process towards implementing the 1995 Resolution.
The EU reiterated its firm support for the universalisation and full, complete, and effective implementation of the NPT and its three pillars. It called on all states not yet party to the NPT and all WMD-related treaties to accede and abide by them. The EU urged all states to bring into force Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols and, as applicable, to rescind or modify their Small Quantities Protocols. Universal subscription to the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation would also contribute to regional confidence building necessary for progress towards a WMD-free zone in the Middle East.
The establishment of such a zone is not only a matter of regional security but also a crucial step towards global peace and stability, the EU stated, adding that it would alleviate tensions, build trust among neighbouring states, and contribute to the broader goals of disarmament and arms control. The EU will continue to support this process and help create a conducive atmosphere. Since 2019, the EU has allocated over 6.5 million euros to the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) for its project on the Middle East WMD-Free Zone.
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