Zelensky reveals he told Trump that Ukraine will seek nuclear weapons to protect itself if it does not join NATO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently revealed that during a meeting with former President Donald Trump in September, he conveyed the urgent need for Ukraine to become a member of NATO. He stated that if this does not happen, Ukraine might have to pursue its own nuclear capabilities for self-defense.

In a press conference while in Brussels presenting his victory plan to EU leaders, Zelensky said he told Trump, “Either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons that can provide security, or it must be part of some alliance.”

In his remarks, Zelensky emphasized, “Beyond NATO, we don’t know of any other effective alliances.” He expressed confidence that Trump heard him and recognized the validity of his argument.

However, he reinforced that rather than seeking nuclear arms, he would prefer for Ukraine to join NATO.

According to Russian state media RT, Zelensky referred to the signatories of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, questioning the suffering of nuclear powers. He stated, “Which of these major countries, these nuclear states, has suffered? None, only Ukraine.” The Budapest Memorandum involved the U.S., the UK, and Russia providing security assurances to Ukraine in exchange for the relinquishment of its nuclear arsenal left over from the Soviet Union.