The governments of 41 states have called for mandatory 24-hour advance notification of launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and space launch vehicles.
This is stated in a joint statement published on the website of the U.S. Permanent Mission to International Organizations in Geneva. The signatories include the United States, NATO and EU countries, as well as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Ukraine, New Zealand, the Philippines, Palau, the Marshall Islands, and a few other states.
The document emphasizes that all countries, particularly nuclear-weapon states, that conduct launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and space launch vehicles (including those for space purposes) should notify affected states no less than 24 hours in advance. Notifications should include the generic class of the missile or launch vehicle, the planned launch window, the launch area, and the planned direction of flight. It is also recommended that clear advance notices be issued for airmen and mariners in accordance with international standards, including for expected impact or landing areas.
The authors of the statement refer to “recent missile testing activity in the Pacific area,” which, in their assessment, did not follow the standard practices adopted by most states for notifying and deconflicting such launches. Conducting tests of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles without sufficient advance notice and detailed information is described as dangerous: it disrupts the peace and security of nations in proximity to these tests, increases the risk of military miscalculation, and undermines global stability.
The statement notes that transparent and regularized notification mechanisms do not constrain any nation’s military development or operational needs. On the contrary, they reduce the risk of errors, build confidence, and reflect a shared commitment to security. It is mentioned that 145 countries already participate in one such mechanism — the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC).
The document emerged against the backdrop of criticism of a July test (according to a number of sources — a launch from a submarine into the Pacific Ocean), for which, in the assessment of the signatories, insufficient advance notification was provided to all potentially affected parties. China is not named directly in the text.
Russia is not among the signatories.