Ukraine is seriously considering the possibility of restoring nuclear weapons. This is reported by Bild with reference to a source.

“We have the materials, we have the knowledge. If there is an order, it will only take us a few weeks to get the first bomb,” said a Ukrainian official.

And Western countries should think less about Russia’s red lines and much more about Ukraine’s red lines.

According to analyst Julian Repke, a condition for restoring the nuclear weapons Ukraine has surrendered could be a second attempt by the Russian Federation to go after Kyiv.

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[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 154 points 4 weeks ago (4 children)

Didn't Ukraine give up its nukes specifically under the condition that Russia would leave them alone as a free independent nation? Seems those terms went out the window years ago.

[–] Fosheze@lemmy.world 83 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Exactly. That treaty was already violated. So there is no longer any treaty preventing them from becomming a nuclear power again.

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 35 points 4 weeks ago

I'm surprised it took them this long to even threaten the idea, although it could simply be that they already built some weapons to have a stockpile before the announcement. I can totally see Putin thinking "oh they only have one bomb, that's an acceptable loss to stop them from building more before we have another MAD stalemate."

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 21 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

By years ago, ypu mean 2014?

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 7 points 3 weeks ago

2014 is when Russia violated the agreement.

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 4 points 4 weeks ago

I thought it was 2016, but yeah, somewhere around then.

[–] HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world 16 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

And that the US would protect them if attacked.

'93 Budapest protocol I believe

[–] 2pt_perversion@lemmy.world 22 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (1 children)

That is not what the Budapest Memorandum says. It's really short so you can just read it but it only requires the US to bring the matter to the UN security counsel which they have. Russia has violated most provisions but the US hasn't violated any.

[–] HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world 14 points 4 weeks ago

Knew I was missing something.

Kinda seems like a moot clause considering Russia has veto powers in the UNSC.

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 5 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Ah I wasn't aware of that part of the deal. I wonder if they're threatening nukes because they're getting nervous that Trump might get re-elected and not honor that deal?

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 11 points 4 weeks ago

They're threatening to build nukes because they have nukes, I believe both France and Israel came out as nuclear nations in the same "we'll just float becoming a nuclear nation and see what happens."

There's still Soviet nuclear material missing and Ukraine has both mines and the know how to assemble older nukes anyway because that was done to some extent in Ukraine during the Soviet Union.

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 14 points 4 weeks ago

Ya.