"I am initiating consultations in the framework of the Budapest Memorandum", Zelensky said on 19 February. "If they do not happen again or their results do not guarantee security for our country, Ukraine will have every right to believe that the Budapest Memorandum is not working and all the package decisions of 1994 are in doubt".
"Many people in the world think that the possession of nuclear weapons can improve security and prevent attacks from outside", Beheshtipour says. "But in fact, this is not the case; if Ukraine resorts to building nuclear weapons, it would find itself in international isolation and would face an increasing security threat. This would happen because both Americans and European countries would be categorically against Ukraine's nuclear status since it would pose a threat not only to Russia, but also to Europe".
"Ever since Soviet times, Ukraine has had fairly broad nuclear competencies", said Putin. "There are several nuclear units [in the country] and the nuclear industry is developed quite broadly and well. There are schools there. Ukraine has everything to solve this issue at a much faster pace than those countries who strive to achieve this goal from scratch".