Ukrainian MPs’ initiative to withdraw from Non-Proliferation Treaty destructive — expert

Ukrainian parliamentarians’ initiative to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is an absolutely destructive step, says Alexei Arbatov, Academician at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“It is clear that this is connected with the 1994 Budapest Declaration that has guaranteed Ukraine’s territorial integrity in exchange for its agreement to give up nuclear weapons. But such an initiative does not demonstrate its initiators’ national wisdom,” he said.

From purely a technological point of view Ukraine could create nuclear weapons, as Ukraine had strong intellectual and industrial potential in the nuclear industry, Arbatov said, adding that even if that country tried to take this path, it would face difficulties with receiving nuclear fuel for its nuclear power plants.

Moreover, the academician expressed confidence that from a political point of view, neither Europe nor the United States would allow Ukraine to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.