As geopolitical tensions rise and international treaties face unprecedented strain, the future of nuclear verification is uncertain. Against this backdrop, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) and the research consortium “VeSPoTec – Verification in a complex and unpredictable world: social, political and technical processes” convened an expert-level workshop titled “Prospects for Nuclear Verification in Times of Uncertainty and Crisis.”
On 4 February 2026, experts from academia, research institutions, diplomatic missions and international organizations gathered in Vienna to discuss challenges facing nuclear verification today and explore potential future prospects. Leading experts in nuclear verification contributed to the workshop, including Noah Mayhew (VCDNP), Nikolai Sokov (VCDNP), Leonardo Bandarra (University Duisburg-Essen/VeSPoTec), and Carmen Wunderlich (University Duisburg-Essen/VeSPoTec). VCDNP Executive Director Elena K. Sokova and CNTR speaker Malte Göttsche delivered opening remarks. More researchers from CNTR attended the workshop as well.
Participants addressed the implementation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards in crisis situations, in particular when nuclear facilities are caught in the crossfire of armed conflict or located in disaster zones. Considering the erosion of key arms control agreements that have historically been dominated by the Global North, participants further emphasized the need for adaptive strategies to sustain verification efforts as well as the role of the Global South in shaping verification practices as crucial for building a more inclusive and effective international framework.
Marking the end of VeSPoTec’s first funding phase, the workshop additionally looked to the future, namely its second funding phase (2026–2028). PRIF will participate in the second phase under the direction of Malte Göttsche. This next phase, titled “Knowing in the Nuclear Weapons World,” will delve into the political, epistemological, technical, and strategic processes shaping nuclear verification.
