(DailyVantage.com) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers nuclear armament as a backup due to NATO membership delays, stressing the urgent need for security assurances.
At a Glance
- Ukraine President Zelenskyy suggests nuclear armament if denied NATO membership.
- Ukraine’s previous nuclear relinquishment in 1994 for security assurances now questioned.
- U.S. and allies show reluctance to support Ukraine’s reinstatement of nuclear capabilities.
- Zelenskyy open to direct talks with Putin amid ongoing conflict.
Zelenskyy’s Nuclear Proposal
Zelenskyy proposed that Ukraine should be granted nuclear weapons as a deterrent against possible future Russian invasions if NATO membership remains elusive. Critical of Ukraine’s 1990s decision to disarm its nuclear arsenal, he emphasized that strong security guarantees had been absent. Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in 1994 under the Budapest Memorandum, in return for protective commitments from Russia, the UK, and the US—assurances that Russia has violated.
Retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg expressed doubts about the feasibility of Ukraine regaining nuclear capacity, emphasizing strategic complications. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy continues to advocate for international military aid, including missile systems, seeking to enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities amidst the ongoing war.
NATO Membership and International Responses
Ukraine applied to join NATO at the commencement of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, but an official invitation remains pending. Several NATO members, including the U.S. and Germany, resist Ukraine’s integration, despite allied statements proclaiming an “irreversible” path to membership. Despite discussions regarding nuclear alternatives, Zelenskyy maintains that NATO membership remains the optimal security guarantee for Ukraine, ruling out immediate nuclear armament developments.
“The chance of them getting their nuclear weapons back is somewhere between slim and none.” – retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for continued negotiations to end the conflict, while Russia demands Ukraine’s exclusion from NATO as part of any cease-fire or peace settlement.
Efforts Toward Diplomacy
Zelenskyy has openly expressed a willingness to engage directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the conflict, though no such meeting has taken place. Preliminary discussions between Ukrainian and Russian representatives hint at potential concessions necessary for a peace accord. Amidst this uncertainty, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte promotes increased support for Ukraine, emphasizing the strategic importance of deterring Russian advances.
“If we get a bad deal, it would only mean that we will see the president of Russia high-fiving with the leaders of North Korea, Iran and China, and we cannot accept that.” – NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Within this complex geopolitical landscape, the call continues for NATO allies to increase their defense budgets and share the responsibilities for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
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