The Arms Control Primer

In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by nuclear experts Lydia Wachs and Andrey Baklitskiy to explore the historical and current trajectory of Russia’s nuclear arsenal. How has the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics’ nuclear policy evolved into Russia’s current arsenal? How have arms control treaties shaped nuclear stability – or failed to do so? And how can future arms control look like amidst growing global tensions? Dr Alexander Bollfrass and his guests discuss the origins of the Soviet nuclear programme, from the point of Stalin’s push to match US capabilities after the end of World War II to the rapid development of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Examining the era of the Cold War, the episode provides a deep-dive into the US-Soviet arms race, resulting in arms control treaties like SALT, the INF Treaty and START.  Dr Alexander Bollfrass is Head of Strategy, Technology and Arms Control, focusing on preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction and related delivery systems, as well as risk reduction and arms control. Andrey Baklitskiy is a Senior Researcher in the WMD Programme at UNIDIR. His current research focuses on nuclear risk reduction and nuclear arms control. He holds a specialist diploma (MA equivalent) from the Ural Federal University.Lydia Wachs is a PhD Candidate in International Relations at Stockholm University. Her PhD research focuses on the Soviet Union's/Russia's role in the global nuclear order, in particular its nuclear nonproliferation policy. ‘The Arms Control Poseur’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium.  We hope you enjoy the episode and please follow, rate, and subscribe to The Arms Control Poseur on the podcast platform of your choice.      Date of recording: 30 January 2025 and 31 January 2025 ‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What successes and failures of arms control have shaped the US nuclear strategy over time? In the first episode of season 4 of the Arms Control Poseur podcast, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass welcomes experts Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, Amy Woolf and Dr Rebecca Gibbons to explore the Cold War Arms race, deterrence strategies and what the future might hold for US nuclear policy. Together, they discuss the impact of historical arms control treaties, US-Russia treaty compliance as well as growing challenges posed by emerging threats.Dr Alexander Bollfrass is Head of Strategy, Technology and Arms Control of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, focusing on preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction and related delivery systems, as well as risk reduction and arms control.  Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins is an American diplomat who served as the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security in the Biden Administration. During the Obama administration, she was the US Department of State's coordinator for threat reduction programs in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation. Amy Woolf is a Nonresident Senior Fellow in the Forward Defense practice of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. She is also a former Specialist in Nuclear Weapons Policy at the Library of Congress. Dr Rebecca Davis Gibbons is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Southern Maine. She previously served as a Fellow and Associate of the Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs after receiving her PhD from Georgetown University in 2016.  Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the seventh episode of season 3, podcast host Fabian Hinz is joined by David Albright, founder and President of the Institute for Science and International Security to discuss Iran’s nuclear ambitions.Find out more: https://go.iiss.org/4g7jiP1 ‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the sixth episode of the Arms Control Poseur, host Fabian Hinz discusses with guest Jim Lamson, Senior Research Associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, the complex developments of Iran's missile programme.‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Wolf-Christian Paes and Sarah Grand-Clément from the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) explore the impact emerging technologies can have to help counter the diversion of small arms and light weapons.  ‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fourth episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Timothy Wright and his guest Prof Dr Karim El-Baz explore the complex landscape of missile proliferation in the Middle East. Together, they discuss the historical and strategic foundations that influence state and non-state actors to develop or possess missile capabilities. With the global arms control architecture being increasingly under greater pressure, Prof Dr El-Baz also provides expertise on the potential pathways for transparency and confidence-building measures, despite prevailing regional challenges. This week's guest: Prof Dr Karim El-Baz is an assistant professor in the Political Science program at Galala University and a research fellow at the Royal Military College of Canada, who focusses on WMD proliferation in the Middle East with a specific focus on conventional weapons and ballistic missiles.  This week’s host: Timothy Wright is a Research Associate for Defence and Military Analysis. Tim’s research focus is on the interplay of missile technology, arms control and strategic stability. Tim is a member of the research stream Missile Dialogue Initiative ‘The Arms Control Poseur’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium. We hope you enjoy the episode and please follow, rate, and subscribe to The Arms Control Poseur on the podcast platform of your choice.      Date of Recording: 13 August 2024  The Arms Control Poseur is recorded and produced at the IISS in Berlin.‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third episode of season 3, podcast host Fabian Hinz is joined by Amnah Ibraheem to discuss the critical developments in missile technology, nuclear energy policies and defence strategies across the Middle East.How does the growing importance of missile systems shape the strategic calculations of regional powers like Iran and Israel, and how do such advancements influence the broader political landscape? Episode three provides impactful insights into critical developments in missile technology, nuclear energy policies and defence strategies across the Middle East.This week's guest: Amnah Ibraheem is a former research analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Middle East office, specialising in the nuclear and energy policies of the Gulf states. Her expertise includes Gulf energy policy, nuclear security and non-proliferation dynamics in the region, and Gulf regional security.This week’s host: Fabian Hinz is a Research Fellow for Defence and Military Analysis and part of the research programme  Defence and Military Analysis. At the IISS, he focusses on ballistic and cruise missiles, UAVs and loitering munitions, geospatial analysis, Iran, the Middle East and North Africa.‘The Arms Control Poseur’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium. We hope you enjoy the episode and please follow, rate, and subscribe to The Arms Control Poseur on the podcast platform of your choice.      Date of Recording: 28 August 2024  The Arms Control Poseur is recorded and produced at the IISS in Berlin.‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, the podcast delves into the critical role of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in regulating the international arms trade and promoting global security. Host Wolf-Christian Paes is joined by expert Roy Isbister to explore how the ATT is shaping global arms control efforts, the challenges it faces and its impact on conflict zones. With the proliferation of weapons being a key issue in international security, the second episode of season three provides an in-depth insight at how the treaty aims to promote international accountability, transparency and responsibility in arms trade. Wolf-Christian Paes is a Senior Fellow for Armed Conflict at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Wolf-Christian is part of the Conflict, Security and Development Programme, where he leads a project on the effectiveness of non-military conflict resolution and stabilization tools, in particular with regard to non-state armed groups. Roy Isbister leads Saferworld's work on conventional arms. Working with governments, parliamentarians, civil society representatives and the media, he has more than 20 years’ experience in advocating for responsible arms transfer control rules, policies and practices at national, regional and international levels. He has edited and authored research papers, reports, policy briefings and articles on arms transfers and arms transfer controls. He has chaired the Geneva Process on Small Arms, been the civil society member of the Board of the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms, was a long-serving member of the Board of the global Control Arms Coalition, and is the Coordinator of the UK NGO Working Group on Arms. Roy holds a master's degree in international relations from the University of Kent. ‘The Arms Control Poseur’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium. We hope you enjoy the episode and please follow, rate, and subscribe to The Arms Control Poseur on the podcast platform of your choice.      Date of Recording: 28 August 2024  The Arms Control Poseur is recorded and produced at the IISS in Berlin. ‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of season 3, podcast host Wolf-Christian Paes is joined by Dr Aaron Arnold to discuss the future of the North Korean UN Sanctions Regime. As the regime continues its nuclear ambitions and tests the patience of the international community, we examine how effective the current sanctions are, what changes could be on the horizon, and how global powers like the U.S., China and Russia are influencing the future of these measures. This episode provides a nuanced analysis of the diplomatic and strategic challenges shaping the North Korean sanctions regime and its impact on global security.This episode's guest: Dr Aaron Arnold is a Senior Associate Fellow with the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), where his work focuses on sanctions and proliferation financing.This episode's host: Wolf-Christian Paes is a Senior Fellow for Armed Conflict at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Wolf-Christian is part of the Conflict, Security and Development Programme, where he leads a project on the effectiveness of non-military conflict resolution and stabilization tools, in particular with regard to non-state armed groups. ‘The Arms Control Poseur’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium.We hope you enjoy the episode and please follow, rate, and subscribe to The Arms Control Poseur on the podcast platform of your choice.      Date of Recording: 22 July 2024    The Arms Control Poseur is recorded and produced at the IISS in Berlin.‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ambassador Jarmo Viinanen joins William on the last episode of the second season of The Arms Control Poseur podcast, to talk about the First Session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) of the 2026 Review Conference (RevCon) of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Amb. Viinanen walks us through the challenges that were faced during the session (such as the circumstances in Ukraine, Russia, Iran and North Korea), and the lessons learned for the future of the NPT regime. Amb. Viinanen also provided recommendations for the Chair of the next session of the PrepCom. Jarmo Viinanen is the Ambassador for Arms Control at the Finnish Foreign Ministry. His main responsibilities are strategic issues, nuclear policy and nuclear non-proliferation, and conventional arms control in Europe. He was the Head of Delegation of the Tenth NPT Review Conference and the Facilitator of informal consultations on facilitating convergence of views on elements of a final document at the Tenth NPT Review Conference.‘The Arms Control Poseur’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium.      We hope you enjoy the episode and please follow, rate, and subscribe to The Arms Control Poseur on the podcast platform of your choice.      Date of Recording: 19 December 2023    The Arms Control Poseur is recorded and produced at the IISS in Berlin. ‘The Arms Control Primer’ is a podcast series produced by the IISS Strategy, Technology and Arms Control Programme on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.