Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Nuclear Weapons
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, views nuclear weapons primarily through the lens of Russia's threats during the full-scale invasion.
He firmly opposes the use of nuclear weapons and has characterized Russia's nuclear posturing as nuclear blackmail aimed at frightening the international community.
Zelenskyy draws upon Ukraine's history of relinquishing the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal in exchange for security assurances, using this past act to criticize the failure of those guarantees and advocate for stronger security for Ukraine.
Context
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s stance on nuclear weapons is inextricably linked to the Russo-Ukrainian War and Ukraine's decision to give up its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal.
Following the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine exchanged its nuclear weapons for security assurances from Russia, the US, and the UK. Zelenskyy frequently invokes this history to underscore the West's moral obligation to support Ukraine against Russian aggression and to highlight the danger of trusting Russia's security guarantees.
As wartime leader, his primary focus is on countering the existential threat posed by Russia, which includes utilizing the threat of nuclear escalation to achieve political aims.
Timeline
- Before the full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy referred to Ukraine's past disarmament in exchange for security assurances, arguing this failure necessitated a shift away from appeasement toward real security.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly stated that Russian President Putin's nuclear threats 'could be a reality' and accused him of using nuclear blackmail to frighten the world.
- Zelenskyy resisted US pressure to lower the conscription age to 18, a move that would address battlefield losses potentially caused by the ongoing war, which is fundamentally linked to the nuclear threat posed by Russia.
Key Quotes
Ukraine has been granted security assurances in exchange for giving up the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We don't have any firearms. And there's no security... But we have a right to urge a transformation from an appeasement policy to one that ensures security and peace.
On September 25, 2022, Zelenskyy said that Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons "could be a reality." He added that Putin "wants to scare the whole world" with nuclear blackmail.
You will not have a quiet place on this earth – except for a grave.
Sources4
google.com
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy's address at the Munich Security Conference
- Zelenskyy on Putin's nuclear threats
- Zelenskyy addresses Czech President on Order of the White Lion
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.