Trump's win makes Ukraine consider its nuclear past - what's next?
After recent election results Ukraine faces tough choices about its defense strategy. President Zelenskys statement about nuclear weapons brings up memories of post-Soviet times when Ukraine gave up its arsenal
In light of recent political shifts Ukraine faces major changes in US support. Donald Trumpʼs victory this week signals potential shifts in American backing‚ forcing Kyiv to look for other ways to protect its interests
Last month Volodymyr Zelensky made a ground-breaking statement that shook diplomatic circles: “Either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons and that will be our protection or we should have some sort of alliance.“ His words highlight a critical choice — NATO membership or return to nuclear status
The historical context is crucial here: after Soviet Unions break-up (around 33 years ago) Ukraine inherited part of nuclear arsenal. The US and Russia pushed hard for Ukraine to give up these weapons which led to the Budapest Memorandum; this decision now seems like a mis-step. Boris Yeltsin at that time already showed signs of whats to come: he talked about “border revisions“ in places like Crimea and Donbas
We talked to the Poles and they said: If you dont let us into NATO‚ weʼre getting nuclear weapons. We dont trust the Russians
The situation now presents two paths:
- Full NATO membership
- Development of nuclear capabilities
Vladimir Putinʼs recent actions make the stakes even higher — his statements about “destroying Ukrainian statehood“ show why Kyiv needs strong protection. With declining Western support and Trumpʼs upcoming presidency Ukraine might need to make tough decisions about its defense strategy
The technical know-how exists: if North Korea managed to develop nuclear weapons‚ Ukraine (with its scientific-technical background) could potentially do it too. This isnt just theoretical — its becoming a real possibility as support from West becomes less certain
