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We gave away nuclear weapons but received nothing. That’s why we need NATO, - Zelenskyy

президент України Зеленський

Ukraine renounced nuclear weapons under the Budapest Memorandum, but did not receive effective security guarantees, and therefore insists on NATO membership now.

This was stated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Censor.NET reports citing Interfax-Ukraine.

"We really gave away all our nuclear weapons at one time. It was many years ago. We should exchange it for NATO. This is my opinion. I shared it with Biden and Trump," Zelenskyy said at a meeting with journalists on Monday.

The president emphasized that Ukraine is not talking about restoring its nuclear arsenal. "We are not asking to give us or return nuclear weapons. Yes, we are not asking for that. My position is very clear. We have given but received nothing. And we got only a full-scale war and many victims, so today we have only one way out. That's why we need NATO, because we don't have weapons that can stop Putin," Zelenskyy explained.

The President believes that Ukraine has no other security guarantees comparable to NATO. "We gave away nuclear weapons. We didn't get NATO. And can you, I asked them, can you name me other allies or another "security umbrella" or something like that, some security measures and guarantees for Ukraine that would be commensurate with NATO? No one can tell me," Zelenskyy said.