Zelensky dismisses Russia's latest nuclear weapons claim
President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russia's claims on Feb. 25 that France and the U.K. are seeking to supply Ukraine with nuclear weapons, calling them "political pressure."
"Usually, when Russia fails to win on the battlefield, it start looking for nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory," Zelensky said during a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Kyiv.
On the fourth anniversary of the full-scale war, Moscow revived its nuclear rhetoric.
Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claimed on Feb. 24 that France and the U.K. are working to supply Ukraine with nuclear arms to "secure more favorable terms" in ongoing peace talks. Following this, Russia's ex-President Dmitry Medvedev threatened to use tactical nuclear weapons against the three countries if such a transfer occurred.
Russian officials provided no evidence for their claims.
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine doesn't have nuclear weapons, referring the the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which London, Washington and Moscow pledged to guarantee Ukraine's independence and sovereignty, refraining from using force or economic pressure in exchange for Kyiv giving up its nuclear status.
"I would really like other nuclear states, primarily the U.S., to respond to (such Russian claims)," the Ukrainian president added.
A U.K. defense official told the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 24 that "there is no truth" to Russia's recent claims, while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi called them "absurd."
Moscow has previously made unfounded accusations about Kyiv planning "dirty bomb" attacks while repeatedly issuing veiled or overt threats of nuclear strikes against Ukraine and its Western allies.
