Zelensky dismissed rumors of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and presented the only viable solution for the country's salvation.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, stated that Ukraine does not plan to develop nuclear weapons, as reported by the publication Bild. He emphasized that Ukraine relies solely on security guarantees and support from NATO, and reminded that the Budapest Memorandum obligations have not been fulfilled.
Zelensky also mentioned in his speech that Ukraine is resisting Russia, which poses the greatest threat to Europe and the world. He added that an invitation to NATO would strengthen Ukraine diplomatically and bring about a just peace.
"We have never said that we want to create nuclear weapons... I spoke about the Budapest Memorandum, which states that Ukraine receives security guarantees. But this is not a shield, and apart from NATO, we have no alternatives. We are not building nuclear weapons," he assured.
Other points made by the President of Ukraine addressed the war that Ukrainians are enduring and the military assistance from partners. He stressed that Ukrainian soldiers are defending the country with weapons from international allies, which effectively brings our nation closer to NATO membership.
"From a practical point of view, Ukraine is already in NATO," the President of Ukraine emphasized.
He added that Ukraine is still waiting for the commitments made at the summit in Washington to be realized. This likely refers to the Ukraine Compact agreement, signed between Ukraine and its partners at that summit. The document is open for other countries to join and represents the final stage in forming a security guarantee ecosystem for Ukraine.
"We rely on the readiness of NATO member countries to provide the announced aid packages," Zelensky reported.
For his part, Mark Rutte assured the allies' readiness to provide Ukraine with all necessary assistance to combat Russian aggression. At the same time, the Office of the President of Ukraine also refuted Bild's reports about the possibility of restoring the country's nuclear arsenal. Presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn called these statements "nonsense" and likened them to Russian propaganda.
What do you think about the possible emergence of nuclear weapons in Ukraine?
An expert from BILD stated that Kyiv is seriously considering the creation of nuclear weapons
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What is known about Bild's statements regarding the restoration of Ukraine's nuclear arsenal
According to the German publication, analyst Julian Repke recently visited Ukraine, where he spoke with Ukrainian politicians and civil servants. Consequently, officials told the Bild expert that Ukraine will not accept a second Russian invasion of Kyiv. Instead, if the aggressor country begins to advance on the capital again, then our state may allegedly restore its nuclear arsenal, which it voluntarily renounced in the 1990s.
"We have the materials, we have the knowledge. If there is an order, we will need just a few weeks to obtain the first bomb," Repke reported, citing anonymous sources among Ukrainian officials.
The name of this Ukrainian official is unknown, but there is a hint that this person is involved in arms supply. Recall that earlier President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a conversation with U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump that Ukraine currently needs either membership in the North Atlantic Alliance or nuclear weapons to effectively defend against Russian aggression.