Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered an ultimatum to NATO, warning that his country may pursue nuclear weapons if it is not granted membership in the alliance.
The pledge came during a conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump last September. Zelensky said he told Trump that Ukraine would either join “some kind of alliance” or be “forced to pursue nuclear weapons,” adding that he knew of no stronger option than NATO.
“I believe Trump heard me and said that it was a fair argument,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky spoke from Brussels, where he met with EU leaders on October 17 to present his “victory plan” in Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia. A press conference was also held alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the institution’s headquarters. Rutte refrained from endorsing Zelensky’s plan, saying it has “many political and military issues” that need to be scrutinized.
The words mark a stark escalation in Kyiv’s push for security guarantees amid its war with Russia that began on February 24, 2022. Zelensky made it clear that NATO’s support is critical for Ukraine’s survival.
Ukraine’s NATO membership path is progressing but has not yet resulted in an official invitation. All current members must agree to extend one.
At recent summits, such as in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2023 and Washington in 2024, NATO reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s future in the alliance. At the Washington summit, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s secretary general, reiterated that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” adding that the path to membership was “irreversible.”
The Kremlin has consistently pointed to NATO’s eastward expansion as a justification for its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has ramped up its efforts to secure more Western support in recent months. While NATO member countries have provided military aid, intelligence and financial support, they so far have stopped short of offering Ukraine full membership.
Countries like Poland, the Baltic states and others in Eastern Europe strongly support Ukraine’s admission.
Beyond that, hesitation stems from concerns about provoking a larger confrontation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who threatened NATO with “catastrophic consequences” regarding nuclear weaponry.
In the meantime, Ukraine has been strengthening its bilateral ties with individual NATO members. Earlier Thursday, Ukraine signed a security pact with Greece, securing additional military and humanitarian assistance.
Zelensky also took to X, formerly Twitter, to thank founding member Norway for its latest energy assistance package.
Ukraine’s potential pursuit of nuclear weapons marks a significant departure from its previous defense policies. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited one of the largest nuclear arsenals in the world.
However, in 1994, it agreed to dismantle its nuclear stockpile under the Budapest Memorandum in exchange for security assurances from the West, including Russia.
Now, with Russia’s continued aggression and its violation of that agreement, many in Ukraine are questioning whether giving up those weapons was a mistake.
Zelensky warned the Munich Security Conference in February 2022—days before the war erupted—that if consultations with signatories did not result in concrete security guarantees, Ukraine would consider the memorandum invalid.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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