Location at a glance Selenskyj: Ukraine should never have given up nuclear weapons






Decades ago, Ukraine removed all nuclear weapons in the country – and got security guarantees for this. Today’s president finds this “stupid”. It was the basis for Moscow’s war of aggression.

The Ukrainian government considers the disclosure of the nuclear weapons arsenal in the country to be possible for a mistake and a permanent peace with Russia only with the help of the USA. In conversation with the new US President Donald Trump, he asked for strong military support and security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire, said President Wolodymyr Selenskyj. This is the only way to prevent Russia from starting up the war at a later date, he said in an interview with the Italian newspaper “IL Foglio”, which was published in parts of Ukrainian media.

He also talked to Trump about the 1994 Budapest memorandum, in which the USA, Great Britain and Russia gave the former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan strong security guarantees in return for the elimination of all nuclear weapons in their field. This concession was “stupid and irresponsible”, said Selenskyj – because later everything turned out differently: When Russia in 2014 occupied the Crimea peninsula and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of Ukraine, Kiev asked the guarantee to intervene, but it had none Reaction given.

“We exchanged nuclear weapons for the war”

“Ukraine gave away its nuclear weapons,” summed up Selenskyj. In retrospect, it would have been better in his view if Ukraine had received the security guarantees from NATO as a transatlantic military alliance. “So if I would exchange nuclear weapons, I would exchange them for something very strong, something that can really stop every attacker, despite its size, territory, his army and so on – and that is a strong army and the safety block NATO” , said Selenskyj.

“We exchanged nuclear weapons for the war,” he explained Trump. Nevertheless, he was convinced that the US President could secure a strong position for Ukraine. “Because of the sanctions, the strength of the United States, the economy – he can accelerate this, in my opinion he can do it faster than any other in the world,” said Selenskyj.

Baerbock talks to Rubio about Ukraine and NATO

In addition to the exchange of the two presidents, there was also a phone call from the new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio with his German colleague Annalena Baerbock. According to the Federal Foreign Office, the Russian attack war in Ukraine and the importance of a strong NATO were among other things. The Greens politician called Rubio for the first time and therefore expressed her will for close cooperation with Trump’s government.

Fights in eastern Ukraine are ongoing

Meanwhile, the various front sections in eastern Ukraine continue to fight bitterly. 82 battles were counted on Monday alone, the general staff in Kiev said in his evening report. The focus of the fighting was again the surroundings of Pokrowsk on the edge of Donbass. Heavy battles were also reported from the West Russian region of Kursk, occupied by Ukrainian troops.

  • Ukraine

  • Nuclear weapon

  • Wolodymyr Selenskyj

  • Russia

  • Kyiv

  • USA

  • Donald Trump

  • NATO

  • Nuclear arsenal

  • State leadership

  • Disclosure

  • Security guarantee

  • Moscow

  • US President

  • Marco Rubio

  • Great Britain

  • Belarus

  • Kazakhstan