“If the country which we are essentially at war with now becomes a nuclear power, what do we do? In this case, we will use all, I want to emphasise this, precisely all means of destruction available to Russia. Everything: we will not allow it. We’ll be watching their every move,” said Putin in Kazakhstan read more
A week after a New York Times report suggested that US President Joe Biden could give Ukraine nuclear weapons before he leaves office, President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Russia would use all weapons at its disposal against Ukraine if Kyiv were to acquire nuclear arms.
“If the country which we are essentially at war with now becomes a nuclear power, what do we do? In this case, we will use all, I want to emphasise this, precisely all means of destruction available to Russia. Everything: we will not allow it. We’ll be watching their every move,” Reuters quoted Putin as saying during a press conference in Astana, Kazakhstan.
“If officially someone were to transfer something, then that would mean a violation of all the non-proliferation commitments they have made,” Putin added.
Putin also said it would be nearly impossible for Ukraine to develop a nuclear weapon, but suggested that the country could potentially create a “dirty bomb” — a conventional explosive mixed with radioactive material to spread contamination.
He warned that Russia would respond accordingly if such an event occurred.
Russia has often claimed, without evidence, that Ukraine might use such a device.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine inherited nuclear weapons but agreed to relinquish them under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum in exchange for security assurances from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has frequently pointed out that giving up these weapons left Ukraine vulnerable, arguing that this is one of the reasons the country should join NATO — a move strongly opposed by Moscow.
Carinwe_Lysa on November 28th, 2024 at 17:59 UTC »
The problem is that absolutely no sane country can denounce Ukraine from obtaining nuclear weapons under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, as they're under invasion from a nuclear power who's used their status as a threat to said country & others providing potential aid.
Plus, the entire conflict has shown that nuclear prohibition isn't worth the paper it's written on.
When a nuclear state can invade a non-nuclear state and then wave around it's status as a threat to prevent support, non-nuclear states see absolutely no reason to not obtain them at this point.
Especially since the majority cannot rely on direct support from third-party countries in deterring an invasion.
Think of Taiwan; if an invasion was truly looking certain, the very prospect of them obtaining nuclear weapons will most likely stop the invasion in it's tracks, as the idea then it becomes MAD for both countries.
MasterpieceNarrow855 on November 28th, 2024 at 17:40 UTC »
This is just dumb. No one is giving Ukraine nuclear weapons.
BroccoliSubstantial2 on November 28th, 2024 at 17:32 UTC »
So, would they just given them and then tell Russia afterward, or give Putin a months notice?
Also, does that apply to North Korea?
I thought Russia that in February 2023, Russia announced its suspension from the New START Treaty.