Kyiv: Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected a recent claim by The Times, which suggested that the country could quickly build a basic nuclear weapon similar to the one used in Nagasaki in 1945.
In a statement on November 13, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi addressed the allegations, writing on X, “Ukraine is committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT); we do not possess, develop, or seek to acquire nuclear weapons.” Tykhyi further stressed that Ukraine collaborates closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and ensures full transparency, with its nuclear materials being strictly reserved for peaceful uses.
Ukraine is committed to the NPT; we do not possess, develop, or intend to acquire nuclear weapons. Ukraine works closely with the IAEA and is fully transparent to its monitoring, which rules out the use of nuclear materials for military purposes. https://t.co/k5GhqyLtir
— Heorhii Tykhyi (@SpoxUkraineMFA) November 13, 2024
The article in The Times referenced a report reportedly prepared for Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense by the Center for Army, Conversion, and Disarmament Studies, a well-known military think tank. The report speculated that, in the event of reduced U.S. support, Ukraine might be able to develop a basic nuclear device within months, utilizing technology similar to the “Fat Man” bomb, which was dropped on Nagasaki during World War II.
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While the report claimed Ukraine holds seven tons of plutonium from spent fuel, it also pointed out that the country lacks the reprocessing facilities necessary to convert the material into a usable weapon.
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This comes after Admiral Rob Bauer, Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, suggested that NATO forces would be deployed to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression, should Moscow not possess nuclear weapons.
