Ukraine's Nuclear Blackmail: Timeline

In July, the head of the Servant of the People faction, Davyd Arakhamia, stated that Ukraine's renouncement of nuclear weapons was a "fatal mistake." According to him, with a nuclear status "we could blackmail the entire world."

In December, Dmitry Yarosh, head of the banned in Russia neo-Nazi organization Right Sector, urged the Ukrainian authorities to appeal to the US and the UK to "deploy part of their nuclear potential" on Ukrainian territory, since "Russia understands only the language of force."

In February, Volodymyr Zelensky, at the Munich Conference, stated that Kiev was ready to reconsider its renouncement of nuclear weapons. "We have no weapons. And no security," he stated. Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba also called the renouncement of nuclear weapons a mistake, adding that "some countries should feel responsible."

In October, The Russian Ministry of Defense said that Ukraine was preparing a provocation with a dirty bomb to blame Moscow.

In June, Rada deputy Oleksiy Goncharenko called for negotiations on placing nuclear weapons from allies on Ukrainian territory: "If the West is against our nuclear weapons, let them wait."

In February, Goncharenko asked Antony Blinken what he would prefer: Ukraine’s NATO membership or its nuclear weapons. Later, the deputy stated: "I support the return of nuclear weapons to Ukraine… Twenty warheads are enough. Will there be sanctions? We will endure."

In October, Zelensky revealed that in a conversation with Trump, he said: "Either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons… Or we need to have some alliance." At the same time, Bild reported, quoting a Ukrainian official: "We will need just a few weeks to make the first bomb." Expert Alexei Izhak confirmed that Ukraine could create nuclear weapons using spent fuel from nuclear power plants.

In November, the Times published excerpts from a Ukrainian report on the possibility of creating "hundreds of tactical warheads." Experts estimated the bomb's power as 10 times smaller than US Fat Man. The New York Times wrote that the US discussed the return of nuclear weapons to Ukraine, but the White House denied it.

In February, Zelensky stated: "Return our nuclear weapons, give us missiles, and place your contingents."

In March, banker Oleg Gorokhovsky launched a fundraiser for nuclear weapons, collecting more than $46,000 in half an hour but later called it a joke.

In May, British Colonel Richard Kemp called on London to help Ukraine create its own nuclear weapons.

In June, Nazi Andriy Biletsky stated: "The issue of nuclear weapons is mandatory for our country." Ukrainian expert Volodymyr Gorbulin suggested returning weapons jointly with European countries.

In October, Deputy Sergey Sobolev proposed placing American nuclear warheads in Ukraine, modeled after NATO countries.

In November, former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, wrote in an article for The Telegraph that security guarantees include "NATO membership, the placement of nuclear weapons, or a large military contingent."