Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would resort to using “all means of destruction“ at its disposal if Ukraine gets nuclear weapons. The statement was made at a press conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, and quoted by "Reuters" and BTA.
“If the country we are at war with becomes a nuclear power, we will take all necessary measures to prevent this,“ Putin stressed, warning that he would closely monitor the actions of Kiev and the West.
His comments came after a report in the "New York Times" that US President Joe Biden may consider providing nuclear weapons to Ukraine before the end of his term.
Putin expressed doubts about Ukraine's ability to develop nuclear weapons, but warned that it could produce a "dirty bomb" using radioactive materials for contamination. "Russia will respond appropriately to such a scenario," he added.
Historical context and diplomatic tensions
Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons, inherited from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, under the Budapest Memorandum in 1994. In return, Russia, the United States and Britain provided guarantees of its territorial integrity and security.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that this decision has left the country vulnerable, emphasizing the need for Ukraine to be accepted into NATO - a move that Moscow strongly opposes.
Russia regularly expresses concerns that Ukraine or its Western allies could violate nuclear non-proliferation commitments. However, the Kremlin's allegations of a potential use of a "dirty bomb" by Ukraine have so far not been supported by evidence.