Analysis / CommentaryOptions for the United States to Resolve the Iran Nuclear ChallengeByHeather Williams and Joseph RodgersPublished Apr 2, 2026By relying on the nuclear justification for the war with Iran, Trump may have painted himself into a corner because now, the end of the war must also have a nuclear solution.
Analysis / Next Gen CommunityKazakhstan Chose Russia and China for Its Reactors. Washington Wasn’t Even in the Room.ByAlexei (Frank) HoffmanPublished Feb 24, 2026Kazakhstan’s June 2025 decision to award its first three nuclear power plants to Russia’s Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) exposes a blind spot in U.S. strategy toward Central Asia.
Analysis / CommentarySatellite Imagery Analysis of China’s Alleged 2020 Nuclear Test at Lop NurByJoseph Rodgers and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.Published Feb 13, 2026New CSIS PONI Analysis from Joseph Rodgers and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. examine satellite imagery from China’s Lop Nur test site, assessing claims that 2020 activity may have gone beyond a “zero-yield” standard.
Analysis / Commentary2026 CSIS European Trilateral Track 2 Nuclear DialoguesByHeather WilliamsPublished Feb 12, 2026Intensifying strategic challenges and growing nuclear risks reinforce the need for continued unity and close coordination among the United States, the United Kingdom, and France as responsible nuclear weapons states within NATO.
Analysis / CommentaryThree Truths About the End of New START and What It Means for Strategic CompetitionByHeather WilliamsPublished Feb 2, 2026The expiration of New START does not necessarily foretell an arms race or a massive U.S. nuclear buildup. Instead, the expiration of the treaty may be an opportunity for a new era of arms control.
Analysis / Next Gen CommunitySILEX: Laser Enrichment Between Promise and Proliferation RiskByKobe YoungPublished Jan 16, 2026SILEX could materially strengthen civilian nuclear fuel supply and energy security, but its efficiency, compact footprint, and reliance on laser technologies also create new challenges for IAEA safeguards and NPT nonproliferation norms.
Analysis / ReportProject Atom 2025: Escalation Management in Acute and Protracted Conflicts in the Indo-PacificByHeather Williams, Lachlan Mackenzie, Elena Tiedens, Mike Albertson, Matthew Costlow, Adam Mount, Kori Schake and Rebecca ShrimptonPublished Jan 8, 2026To generate new thinking on the risks of escalation in the Indo-Pacific, the Project on Nuclear Issues invited a group of experts to develop competing strategies for managing escalation with China.
Analysis / Next Gen CommunityOn the Horizon, Vol. 8ByDoreen Horschig, Alvina Ahmed, Hrishita Badu, Mar Casas Cachinero, Andrew Fishberg, Artur Honich, Shaquille James, Eliana Johns, Frank Kuhn, Sam Lair, Colin Levaunt, Ayazhan Muratbek, Yashar Parsie, William J. Peck, Ariel Phuphaphantakarn, Phillip G. Rombach, Shawn Rostker, Olivia Salembier, Jaclyn Schmitt, Clara Sherwood and Sarah StevensonPublished Jan 8, 2026A Collection of Papers from the Next Generation Series On The Horizon
Analysis / Next Gen CommunityAll Military Means? Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the Risks of Nuclear AmbiguityBySameer Ali KhanPublished Dec 1, 2025The new Pakistan–Saudi defense pact invokes ‘all military means’—but leaving nuclear commitments ambiguous risks overstretching the Pakistani nuclear deterrent and fueling speculation abroad.
Analysis / CommentaryGolden Dome for America: Assessing Chinese and Russian ReactionsByRaymond Wang and Lachlan MackenziePublished Nov 20, 2025This article surveys Chinese and Russian reactions to Golden Dome and develops an initial assessment of its potential impact on arms racing and strategic stability.