The German publication Bild reports that Ukraine intends to develop nuclear weapons as an alternative form of deterrence against Russia in the event that Donald Trump begins to withdraw US support for its war. A subsequent report claimed Ukraine was only a few months away from a functional nuclear arsenal.
Trump repeatedly criticized the policy of sending aid to Ukraine while on the campaign trail, as well as saying that he would begin with drawing American support of NATO as a whole. These statements, coupled with Trump's pre-existing friendship with Vladimir Putin, have raised a significant concerns in Europe that the USA may begin to work against Ukraine and NATO.
Ukranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said in a statement issued Oct. 17 that his country was not intending to develop nuclear weapons..
"We officially refute the insinuations of unnamed sources in the Bild publication regarding Ukraine's alleged plans to develop weapons of mass destruction," Tykhyi's statement read.
"Ukraine has been and remains a committed party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)... having renounced the world's third-most powerful military nuclear capability. Ukraine, which has made the greatest contribution to international peace, security and nuclear non-proliferation in history, is now facing nuclear blackmail from the terrorist state of Russia."
Ukrainian president Zelenskyy has separately stated that he sees nuclear armament as the only reliable alternative to the security guarantees of the Budapest Memorandum signed by the USA, the UK, and Russia. His country has since denied that it has any intention of pursuing nuclear armament.
"Ukraine is convinced that the NPT remains the cornerstone of the global international security architecture. Despite the ongoing Russian aggression, Ukraine continues to comply with the provisions of the NPT and remains a responsible participant in the international nuclear non-proliferation regime."
Since his reelection, Donald Trump has reportedly called Putin regarding the war in Ukraine. NBC reported that the call included a warning not to escalate and demands that Russia bring the war to a diplomatic resolution early in Trump's second term, if not to be for his inauguration.
Russia has since denied the call and continued its offensive against Ukraine, sending new waves of troops to the front and allowing North Korean soldiers to begin direct engagements against Ukraine.
In what may have been a more personal attack against Trump, Russian television broadcast a segment displaying explicit photos of First Lady Melania Trump from her career as a model.