The United States will not be returning nuclear weapons to Ukraine, a move ruled out by White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Addressing the matter on Sunday, Sullivan stated, “That is not under consideration, no.” He clarified that the US is prioritizing support through conventional military capacities to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression.
Origins of the Debate
Speculation about Ukraine’s potential reacquisition of nuclear arms emerged following a report in The New York Times. The article suggested that unnamed Western officials had considered the possibility of US President Joe Biden enabling such a move before the end of his term. Sullivan, however, dismissed these claims while speaking to ABC, emphasizing the US commitment to non-proliferation.
Russian Reactions and Historical Context
Russia strongly condemned the notion, calling it “absolute insanity.” Moscow justified its military intervention in Ukraine, in part, as a measure to prevent the deployment of nuclear arms in its neighboring country.
Ukraine inherited nuclear weapons from the Soviet Union following its collapse in 1991. However, under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Kyiv relinquished its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security assurances from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Current US Approach
Sullivan highlighted that the US is focused on bolstering Ukraine’s conventional defense capabilities rather than exploring nuclear options. “We are surging various conventional capacities to Ukraine so that they can effectively defend themselves and take the fight to the Russians,” Sullivan explained.
