Ukraine renounced its status as a nuclear power after the collapse of the USSR. Earlier, President Vladimir Zelensky said that the rejection of nuclear weapons is a big mistake, but it is wrong to seek to return the nuclear status. But the infamous Ukrainian ambassador to Germany does not agree with the Ukrainian leader.
Melnik called the situation catastrophic
Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk believes that Ukraine should think about returning its nuclear status. He made this statement on the radio station Deutschlandfunk on Thursday, April 15.
"Perhaps we should also think about the nuclear status," Melnik said.
According to the diplomat, Ukraine needs not only expressions of solidarity from the West, but also modern weapons systems to be able to defend itself.
"The situation is catastrophic... Russia wants to wipe Ukraine off the face of the earth as a state," he said.
What Zelensky thinks about nuclear weapons
Earlier, President Vladimir Zelensky said that giving up nuclear weapons is a betrayal of Ukraine and a big mistake, but he also believes it is wrong to seek to return the nuclear status.
"In general, I believe that this is a betrayal of Ukraine. I think this is a big mistake. After all, any global diplomatic agreements from the moment when the Budapest Memorandum is not implemented are "multiplied by zero," the head of state said.
Renunciation of nuclear weapons
Ukraine renounced its status as a nuclear power after the collapse of the USSR. On December 5, 1994, the Budapest Memorandum on Security Guarantees for our country was signed in connection with the accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: the security of Ukraine was guaranteed by the United States, Great Britain and Russia.
On October 25, 2020, at the initiative of Vladimir Zelensky, during the local elections, Ukrainians were asked 5 questions, one of them related to the use of the Budapest Memorandum to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Yevgenia Stepko
