Serhiy Plokhiy presented a new book about the nuclear age 

The Harvard Book Store (Boston) and Ukraine House (Washington) hosted presentations of a new book by the famous historian and professor of Ukrainian history at Harvard University, Serhiy Plokhiy, “The Nuclear Age: An Epic Race for Arms, Power, and Survival.” The book, dedicated to the history of the formation and consequences of the nuclear age, was published in October 2025 in the USA (W.W. Norton) and Great Britain (Penguin).

This was reported by Harvard Book Store and Ukraine House.

Plokhiy, a professor of Ukrainian history at Harvard University, analyzes the creation and accumulation of nuclear weapons, the motives of states in the arms race, and global failures in controlling nuclear programs. It shows how historical events – from the first atomic bomb tests and the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the contemporary challenges of North Korea, Iran and Russia – have shaped the current system of international security.

“The book demonstrates the fear that drives the spread of nuclear weapons. Plokhii describes the global players who defined, fuelled and influenced this fear – from H.G. Wells to Nikita Khrushchev and Vladimir Putin – and outlines what we can learn from the past to control the modern arms race. As the danger of nuclear war remains urgent, this work diagnoses our era of rearmament,” notes the Harvard Book Store.

The presentation at the Harvard Book Store was attended by international lawyer Mykhailo Soldatenko, who discussed with the author contemporary aspects of nuclear policy, the role of law in arms control and the moral consequences of the use of nuclear weapons. Topics discussed included the Budapest Memorandum, the influence of Ukrainian scientists on the American and Soviet nuclear programs, and current challenges to global security.

A separate evening was held at Ukraine House in Washington, D.C., with the participation of the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, who thanked Serhiy Plokhiy for his contribution to the development of Ukrainian studies and his support for the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies initiative launched by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska. 

The event was moderated by Kateryna Smagliy, Counselor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Ukraine to the United States, and co-organized by the Embassy of Ukraine to the United States, the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA), and the Shevchenko Scientific Society in Washington.

“This work is a “must read” for all students of international relations, political scientists and diplomats… During the discussion, the history of the Manhattan Project, the ethical aspects and consequences of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bomb tests, the role of Ukrainians in the creation of the American and Soviet nuclear bombs, the Kremlin’s nuclear blackmail, the causes and consequences of the Budapest Memorandum and the modern challenges of the nuclear programs of North Korea, Iran and the Russian Federation were discussed, – said Kateryna Smagliy.