Condemn Russia's threat to use nuclear weapons: join TPNW now

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne

Aftermath of a missile trike in Kyiv, Ukraine
Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

The world has moved closer to a nuclear catastrophe with the order by Russian President Vladimir Putin to put Russia’s nuclear arsenal on combat readiness amidst his country’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

We call for Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne to:

  • Condemn the threat of use of nuclear weapons by President Putin and all nations
  • Advocate for all nuclear-armed states to take their nuclear weapons off high alert and disarm
  • Sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons


The possession of nuclear weapons, by any state, and policies of "nuclear deterrence" will ultimately lead to their use and a humanitarian catastrophe. Nuclear weapons do not keep the peace, they pose an existential threat. We have again seen how quickly conventional warfare can escalate, when the use of nuclear weapons is on the table.

The international landscape has changed with the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which stigmatises and outlaws the possession, assistance, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons.

The TPNW provides a desperately-needed pathway for all states to contribute to the end of nuclear weapons.

Australia remains complicit in the threat posed by nuclear weapons until we end the policy of "nuclear deterrence" and join this treaty. Assisting with the threat and potential use of nuclear weapons is a line we should not cross.


All signatures (full names and postcode) with comments will be hand-delivered to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne. If they will not accept a meeting request, the petition will be delivered to their offices in Sydney.


Sponsored by

To: Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne
From: [Your Name]

We strongly condemn President Putin’s order to put Russian nuclear weapons forces on high alert. This is a profoundly dangerous and irresponsible action, especially during a time of war and high tension.

Any use of nuclear weapons would cause catastrophic humanitarian suffering and the fallout - radioactive, economic and political would cause harm for generations.

Right now, the dangerous policy of so-called nuclear deterrence has not stopped the continued invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This policy – a Cold War relic - does not keep the peace, it assists war to be carried out against the Ukrainian people.

Any policy which is based on the willingness to mass murder civilians and is kept in check by little more than sheer luck will eventually lead to a horrific humanitarian catastrophe. That’s what is being risked right now, and it must stop.

In order to protect ourselves from nuclear war, Australia must join the United Nations’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) - the only comprehensive legally-binding prohibition which bans the development, possession, threats of use, and use of nuclear weapons and contains a framework for their verifiable dismantlement.

Australia is complicit in the threat posed by nuclear weapons, by subscribing to the theory of extended nuclear deterrence. This indicates the Australian government is willing to see US nuclear weapons used with our assistance and on our behalf, against the wishes of eight out of ten Australians that want Australia to join the TPNW instead.

We call on you to condemn Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons, join the TPNW and advocate for all nuclear-armed states to take their nuclear weapons off high alert and disarm.