Zelenskyy: If the US is not ready to accept us into NATO, give us nuclear weapons
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that if the United States is unwilling to support Ukraine's NATO membership, it could provide an alternative security guarantee in the form of nuclear weapons.
Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The president acknowledged that Ukraine's path to NATO membership could take "years or even decades", raising what he called a legitimate question: "What will protect us from this evil during all that time?"
Quote: "Which support package? Which missiles? Will they give us nuclear weapons? Then let them give us nuclear weapons."
Details: He speculated that the West might provide Ukraine with deterrent missiles but questioned whether such missiles could stop Russian nuclear weapons, calling it a rhetorical question.
Quote: "Let’s do the following: give us back nuclear
arms; give us missile systems. Partners, help us finance a million
army; move your contingents on the parts of our state where we want the
stability of the situation, so that people have tranquility."
Quote: "He [Putin] invaded because he was afraid we would become a NATO member. Okay, we are not NATO members. Go back of our land."
Background:
- Earlier, Zelenskyy expressed confidence that US President Donald Trump could influence whether Ukraine joins NATO.
- Meanwhile, Trump himself has said he "can understand" Russia's feelings, noting that the previous US administration declared support for Ukraine's membership in the Alliance.
Zelensky says he is willing to negotiate with Putin
In addition to Ukraine and Russia, the US and Europe should also be involved in the talks, Zelensky told British journalist Piers Morgan
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