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Trump aide claims Ukraine never possessed nuclear arms
(MENAFN) Ukraine never had operational control over the nuclear weapons it inherited from the Soviet Union, as they remained under Russia’s authority, US Presidential Envoy for Special Assignments Richard Grenell stated on Tuesday.
Following the USSR’s collapse in 1991, Ukraine temporarily became the world's third-largest nuclear power due to the presence of Soviet warheads on its territory. However, these weapons were controlled by Moscow, and Kiev lacked the technical ability to launch them.
Under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine agreed to transfer all nuclear weapons to Russia in exchange for security assurances from the US, UK, and Russia. Addressing recent Ukrainian criticism of the agreement, Grenell wrote on X: “Let’s clarify the Budapest Memorandum situation: the nuclear weapons belonged to Russia and were leftovers. Ukraine returned the nuclear weapons back to Russia. They did not belong to Ukraine. That’s an inconvenient fact.”
His remarks come as Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has argued that Kiev was “forced” to give up its nuclear arsenal, calling the Budapest Memorandum “stupid and irresponsible.” He suggested Ukraine should either be fast-tracked into NATO or provided with nuclear weapons and missile systems to counter Russia.
Retired US General Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy for Ukraine and Russia, dismissed the idea, telling Fox News Digital last month: “The chance of them getting their nuclear weapons back is somewhere between slim and none. Let’s be honest about it, we both know that’s not going to happen.”
Moscow has consistently stated that Ukraine never truly possessed nuclear weapons, as the Soviet Union’s successor state, Russia, inherited full ownership. Russian officials also argue that the Budapest Memorandum envisioned Ukraine maintaining a neutral status—an agreement they claim was violated by NATO's expansion and Kiev’s push to join the alliance.
The Kremlin has cited Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and nuclear ambitions as key reasons for the ongoing conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned in November that if Ukraine were to acquire nuclear weapons, Moscow would use “all means of destruction at Russia’s disposal” to counter the threat.
Following the USSR’s collapse in 1991, Ukraine temporarily became the world's third-largest nuclear power due to the presence of Soviet warheads on its territory. However, these weapons were controlled by Moscow, and Kiev lacked the technical ability to launch them.
Under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine agreed to transfer all nuclear weapons to Russia in exchange for security assurances from the US, UK, and Russia. Addressing recent Ukrainian criticism of the agreement, Grenell wrote on X: “Let’s clarify the Budapest Memorandum situation: the nuclear weapons belonged to Russia and were leftovers. Ukraine returned the nuclear weapons back to Russia. They did not belong to Ukraine. That’s an inconvenient fact.”
His remarks come as Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has argued that Kiev was “forced” to give up its nuclear arsenal, calling the Budapest Memorandum “stupid and irresponsible.” He suggested Ukraine should either be fast-tracked into NATO or provided with nuclear weapons and missile systems to counter Russia.
Retired US General Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy for Ukraine and Russia, dismissed the idea, telling Fox News Digital last month: “The chance of them getting their nuclear weapons back is somewhere between slim and none. Let’s be honest about it, we both know that’s not going to happen.”
Moscow has consistently stated that Ukraine never truly possessed nuclear weapons, as the Soviet Union’s successor state, Russia, inherited full ownership. Russian officials also argue that the Budapest Memorandum envisioned Ukraine maintaining a neutral status—an agreement they claim was violated by NATO's expansion and Kiev’s push to join the alliance.
The Kremlin has cited Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and nuclear ambitions as key reasons for the ongoing conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned in November that if Ukraine were to acquire nuclear weapons, Moscow would use “all means of destruction at Russia’s disposal” to counter the threat.
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