Volodymyr Zelensky demands nukes to end war with Russia | World | News

Volodymr Zelensky has demanded Ukraine be handed nuclear weapons if NATO allies will not allow the country to join the alliance in a bombshell interview.

The Ukrainian President made the comments as he appeared on TalkTV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Asked by the host about security guarantees Kyiv amid Russia‘s refusal to consider Nato membership for Ukraine as part of any potential peace deal, Zelensky took issue with Ukraine‘s protracted efforts to join the alliance and asked what would happen to his country in the interim.

“Will we be given nuclear weapons?” he asked, adding: “Then let them give us nuclear weapons.”

He also asked if allies would be prepared to give Ukraine missiles in quantities sufficient to stop Russia while it remains unprotected by the military alliance’s security umbrella.

Zelensky acknowledged that he wasn’t sure more missiles would be able to hold off the invading army, but said that it “would help”.

“Otherwise, what missiles can stop Russia‘s nuclear missiles?” he said, urging allies: “Give us back nuclear arms, give us missile systems.”

“Partners: Help us finance the one million army,” Zelensky continued. “Move your contingent on the parts of our state where we want the stability of the situation so that the people have tranquility.”

Ukraine inherited a vast stockpile of nuclear weapons after the Soviet Union fell, but gave them up in 1994 after receiving security assurances from Russia, the UK and the US, as per Politico.

Zelensky has previously suggested the country needs either NATO membership or nuclear weapons to survive, though Kyiv would much prefer to join the military alliance – something the Kremlin fiercely opposes.

Meanwhile, Moscow is set on capturing as much territory as possible as Donald Trump‘s administration in the US pushes for negotiations to end the war.

President Trump, who had previously said he’d negotiate an end to the conflict in 24 hours has said talks are ongoing.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump complained that Washington had sent more in military and economic assistance to Ukraine than its European partners, adding, “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other things.”

The 78-year-old suggested that he’s received word from the Ukrainian government that they’d be willing to make a deal to give the US access to the elements critical to the modern high-tech economy, as per AP.

“I want to have security of rare earth,” Trump added. “We’re putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare Earth. And I want security of the rare Earth, and they’re willing to do it.”

“We made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine,” Trump continued. “We’ll see what happens. We’re going to stop that ridiculous war.”

During a press briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday, Zelensky signalled that Ukraine would be open to such an arrangement.

“We are open to the idea that mineral resources can be developed with our partners who help us protect our land and push the enemy back with their weapons, their presence, and sanctions packages,” he said, as per the Kyiv Independent.

“This is absolutely fair. I talked about this back in September when we met with President Trump,” he added.

Speaking to the Associated Press on Saturday, Zelensky said any negotiations between the US and Russia but without his country would be unacceptable.

“They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us — it is dangerous for everyone,” he said.

He said his team has been in contact with the Trump administration, but those discussions are at a “general level,” and he believes in-person meetings will take place soon to develop more detailed agreements.

“We need to work more on this,” the Ukrainian President added.