Obama laid out his vision on eliminating nuclear arms in a speech in Prague in April 2009. But he was not the first American president to set that goal, and acknowledged it might not be reached in his lifetime.

He is negotiating arms cuts with Russia, and last month dropped plans to base elements of a U.S. anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. Moscow had seen the scheme as a threat, despite U.S. assurances it was directed against Iran.

“This provocation underscores the need for action, not just this afternoon at the U.N. Security Council, but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons. Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something. The world must stand together to prevent the spread of these weapons. Now is the time for a strong international response,” Obama told the gathering in Prague in reference to perceived nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran’s controversial nuclear programme.

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