The Russian Foreign Ministry has underscored the need to treat talks about restoring Ukraine’s nuclear status with seriousness. This stance was voiced by Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s official representative, during remarks commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 2014 events in Ukraine. [citation: Russian Foreign Ministry]
Zakharova drew attention to what she called a recent, informal push by Ukrainian officials regarding reviving the country’s nuclear capabilities. She referenced a discussion involving Verkhovna Rada deputy Alexei Goncharenko, who is listed by the Russian Federation as a terrorist and extremist, and his dialogue with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Munich Security Conference. [citation: Russian Foreign Ministry]
She pointed to a February 2022 moment when Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke at the Munich conference and hinted at reexamining Kiev’s position on nuclear weapons. Zakharova stressed that such statements must be viewed with the utmost seriousness by the international community. [citation: Russian Foreign Ministry]
The spokesperson argued that Ukraine retains substantial scientific and industrial potential dating back to the Soviet era, which could enable it to develop nuclear weapons if political will aligned with those capabilities. She urged the global community to regard these declarations as dangerous and worthy of careful attention. [citation: Russian Foreign Ministry]
During February, it was noted that Goncharenko asserted Blinken had expressed a view that Ukraine should either join NATO or possess its own nuclear arsenal. This assertion was presented as part of ongoing discussions about Ukraine’s security architecture. [citation: Russian Foreign Ministry]
Zakharova also referenced the broader context of foreign deployments and the strategic calculus surrounding the placement or potential deployment of foreign nuclear forces on Ukrainian soil, emphasizing the sensitivity and potential repercussions of such moves. [citation: Russian Foreign Ministry]
Earlier remarks from a retired Polish general, Waldemar Skrzypczak, were cited as suggesting that Ukraine might already possess or be close to possessing nuclear weapons, a claim that has circulated in various security debates and warrants careful verification against official positions and available evidence. [citation: Russian Foreign Ministry]