Biden Eyes Nukes for Ukraine, Russia Issues Nuclear Warning

On November 26, the Kremlin sharply criticized Western discussions about the possibility of providing nuclear weapons to Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, responded to a New York Times report suggesting that the Biden administration might consider giving nuclear weapons to Ukraine before his term ends in January.

The article mentioned that some officials even proposed returning the nuclear weapons Ukraine gave up after the Soviet Union’s collapse. This could potentially act as a powerful deterrent, though the report noted that such a move would be complicated and have serious consequences.

In his response, Peskov called these discussions “absolutely irresponsible,” accusing Western officials of lacking a proper understanding of the situation and of being reckless with their statements. He also pointed out that the remarks were anonymous.

Peskov’s comments followed statements from Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev, who warned that if Ukraine were to receive nuclear weapons, Russia might view it as a nuclear attack, justifying a nuclear retaliation from Russia.

Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal in 1991 following the Soviet Union’s collapse, under the Budapest Memorandum, an agreement that included security assurances from Russia, the US, and the UK.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine sees joining NATO as the only viable option to deter Russian aggression.

Peskov also cautioned that the West should pay close attention to President Vladimir Putin’s recently approved nuclear doctrine, which lowers Russia’s threshold for using nuclear weapons. Ukrainian officials, however, have denied any intention to develop weapons of mass destruction, emphasizing that Ukraine remains committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).