The Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is an international agreement aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Established in 1968, it has three main objectives: to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, to promote disarmament, and to facilitate the peaceful use of nuclear technology. The treaty categorizes countries into nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states. The five recognized nuclear-weapon states—United States, Russia, China, France, and United Kingdom—are committed to pursuing disarmament, while non-nuclear-weapon states agree not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.