Zelenskyy Rejects Russian Allegations of UK and French Nuclear Weapons Supply to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Addresses Russian Nuclear Allegations at Kyiv Press Conference

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed recent Russian claims that France and the United Kingdom are preparing to provide Ukraine with nuclear weapons or a “dirty bomb,” characterizing the allegations as a familiar Russian tactic deployed when facing battlefield setbacks.

During a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Kyiv on Tuesday, Zelenskyy addressed the accusations directly, stating, “Usually, when Russia fails to win on the battlefield, it starts looking for nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory. Sadly, Ukraine does not have nuclear weapons. You all know the circumstances of how and because of whom this happened.”

The Ukrainian leader’s remarks come in response to statements made by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service on February 24, which alleged that the UK and France were actively working to supply Kyiv with either a nuclear weapon or components for a “dirty bomb” – a conventional explosive device designed to spread radioactive material.

Zelenskyy suggested the timing of Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric is not coincidental, connecting it to upcoming trilateral diplomatic meetings. He described the allegations as “political pressure” and noted they might also be a reaction to ongoing discussions about establishing a potential nuclear umbrella in Europe, a concept that has gained traction among some European defense strategists amid growing security concerns.

The allegations have already triggered escalatory rhetoric from high-ranking Russian officials. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president who now serves as Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, followed the intelligence service claims with explicit threats of nuclear strikes against both the United Kingdom and France.

Both the UK government and Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have categorically rejected the Russian claims, describing them as “false and absurd.” This exchange marks the latest in a series of nuclear-themed accusations that have characterized the information war running parallel to the physical conflict in Ukraine.

Security analysts note that Russia has repeatedly raised nuclear concerns throughout the conflict, including previous allegations in late 2022 that Ukraine was developing a “dirty bomb” – claims that were widely dismissed by international observers and the International Atomic Energy Agency after inspections found no evidence of such activities.

Ukraine gave up the nuclear weapons it inherited after the collapse of the Soviet Union under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in exchange for security assurances from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has led many in Ukraine to question the wisdom of that decision, given Russia’s violation of the agreement’s core premise.

The latest allegations come amid what Western intelligence sources describe as increasing Russian frustration with the pace of their military campaign in eastern Ukraine, where advances have been slower and more costly than the Kremlin anticipated.

Norwegian Prime Minister Støre, who was in Kyiv to announce additional military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, stood alongside Zelenskyy during the press conference, underscoring continued Nordic support for Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.

Experts suggest that Russia’s nuclear rhetoric serves multiple strategic purposes: attempting to deter Western military support for Ukraine, creating divisions among NATO allies, and distracting from battlefield challenges. However, these tactics have thus far failed to significantly reduce international backing for Ukraine, which continues to receive substantial military aid from its Western partners.