Items include:
- Video and review: 70th anniversary of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto
- Videos of recent webinars
- Review of the 2025 Student and Young Pugwash Conference
- Recent publications / articles of note
- Joseph Rotblat Memorial Trust: Trustee / Treasurer vacancies
- Annual Membership
1. Video and review: 70th anniversary of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, special event
On 8 July the Royal Society, British Pugwash and International Pugwash hosted a special event marking the 70th anniversary of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto.
A video and review of the event is available here.
On July 9, 1955, two of the most eminent intellectuals of the 20th century, Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein, issued an appeal to humanity, urging that the immense peril associated with nuclear weapons be recognised by governments and publics alike.
The Russell-Einstein Manifesto warned that nuclear weapons pose a threat to the survival of the human species and called for major efforts to address and contain nuclear dangers. One of the consequences of the Manifesto was the holding of the first Pugwash conference in 1957.
2. Videos of recent webinars
On 12 June British Pugwash and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament hosted an evening of discussion with Annie Jacobsen, author of the international bestseller ‘Nuclear War – A Scenario’.
A chilling, minute-by-minute account of what follows a nuclear attack, the book exposes the horrifying realities of such a war.
Watch the video here
…
On 25 May, Mark Lynas gave the British Pugwash Lecture at the Hay Festival.
Mark introduced his new book, ‘Six Minutes to Winter: Nuclear War and How to Avoid It’, recently published by Bloomsbury.
Watch the video here
…
On 14 May, at our Annual Lecture, Dr David Ellwood spoke on: ‘Is even a minimal nuclear deterrent MAD?’ Watch the video here
…
On 2 April, Dr Hans Blix explained the central thoughts and findings in his book ‘A Farewell to Wars: The Growing Restraints on the Interstate Use of Force’. Watch the video here
…
All our videos are available on our YouTube channel
3. Review of the 2025 Student and Young Pugwash Conference
The 8th annual SYP conference took place at King’s College London on March 15. The theme of the conference was ‘Stepping back from the brink of nuclear war: fresh thinking on peace and disarmament.’ The aim of the event was to encourage discussion on the legal, political and technical questions associated with this topic, with a focus on ethical science.
You can find a summary of all the presenter information from the conference, including: photos, videos, slides and contact details here.
4. Recent publications
“Dialogue across Divides: Pugwash’s contribution to sustainable security”
In this article, British Pugwash Secretary, Dr Tim Street, tells the story of Pugwash’s successful work influencing arms control and reducing risks from nuclear weapons.
“The Case for Parliament to Scrutinise the UK’s Nuclear Weapons Programme”
Tim Street, and Steve Barwick, Chair of the Nuclear Education Trust, wrote this article, which first appeared in the Rethinking Security blog in April.
“France’s Nuclear Umbrella Offer to other European States”
Recent developments in relations between the United States and Europe have prompted President Macron to offer (as he did in 2020) to make France’s nuclear forces available for the defence of Europe.
This British Pugwash post touches briefly on some of the issues that lie at the core of that offer.
“Europeanising France’s Nuclear Deterrent?” by Prof Tom Sauer
This article explores French President Macron’s offer to make France’s nuclear forces available for the defence of Europe.
Other articles of note
June
Aaron Pellish, Politico, Gabbard warns of ‘nuclear holocaust’ in ominous social media video
John T Psaropoulos, Al-Jazeera, Ukraine’s ‘Spiderweb’ drone assault forces Russia to shelter, move aircraft
May
Daryll Kimball, Arms Control Association, Golden Dome: Doubling Down on a Strategic Blunder
John Mecklin, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, The 15-minute interview: Joe Cirincione on Golden Dome and the long-running US missile defense debacle
Arms Control Association, Talks About Future of New START Still Haven’t Started
Press Release, Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA releases ‘Golden Dome’ missile threat assessment
Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, Mackenzie Knight, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Russian Nuclear Weapons 2025
April
Guy Faulconbridge and Dmitry Antonov, Reuters, Russia says the future of nuclear arms control with US and others looks bleak for now
March
Arms Control Association, Trump’s Misguided “Golden Dome” Gambit
Dmitry Antonov and Lucy Papachristou, Reuters, Kremlin, responding to Trump and Macron, says nuclear dialogue with US is essential
February
Journal of Strategic Studies, The End of MAD? Technology Innovation and the Future of Nuclear Retaliatory Capabilities
Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Policy, The Century’s First Missile Crisis Is Coming in Asia
Theodore Postol, Responsible Statecraft, What would happen if a Russian nuke detonated over your city
5. JRMT Trustees / Treasurer vacancies
JRMT is looking to add one or two new trustees to its board.
In particular, we are looking for a new volunteer to take on the role of Treasurer of the Trust. This role oversees the finances of the Trust.
For this role, it would be ideal if you had some accounting skills and experience. Key tasks include: handling the payroll and pension scheme (for one person); managing the bank account, including occasional transactions; preparing the annual Treasurer’s report; liaising with the British Pugwash Coordinator.
If you think you might be interested in taking on the Treasurer role, or becoming a trustee, please get in touch with Tim Street at: office@britishpugwash.org
6. Annual membership
We ask that members of British Pugwash contribute £25 a year to the organisation’s running costs. May we suggest that you check that your subscription is up to date. If you need to make a payment, our bank details are here. Membership for students and people under 30 is free.