London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Russia warns Europe would "disappear" if West gives nuclear weapons to Ukraine

Russia warns Europe would "disappear" if West gives nuclear weapons to Ukraine

Head of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin said if West sends nuclear warheads to Kyiv, there will be a "conflict in the center of Europe."

The head of Russia's State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, has warned that if Western governments were to provide Kyiv with nuclear weapons, a nuclear conflict could follow in the heart of Europe and it could "disappear".

No Western countries have suggested supplying Ukraine with nuclear weapons in the face of Russia's invasion and nor has Kyiv sought them. Western countries have shown reluctant to provide even some of the heavier conventional weapons that Ukraine is seeking.

But former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who is now a member of the European Parliament, reportedly told Ukrainian online television channel Espreso TV that the West has the right to give Ukraine nuclear warheads to protect its independence, as shown in a video shared by Belarusian media outlet Nexta on Twitter.


Sikorski said Western countries would have this right because Russia had violated the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances of 1994. In that year, Ukraine agreed to give up all nuclear weapons left in the country after the fall of the Soviet Union and to join the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

In December 1994, Kyiv signed the Budapest Memorandum with Russia, the U.S. and the U.K., in which the signatories pledged to respect the sovereignty, independence and existing borders of Ukraine in exchange for the country's commitment to denuclearize.

In the interview with Espreso TV, Sikorski argued that Russia broke the terms of the deal by invading Ukraine.

Newsweek has contacted Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment on Sikorski's statement, which has not been officially supported by the Polish government.

The Polish MEP's words reached Russia, where his declaration was met with scorn by Volodin, who leads one of the chambers of the Russian parliament.

"With such deputies, the Europeans will have much more serious problems than those they have already faced today (refugees, record inflation, energy crisis)," Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday.

"Sikorski provokes a nuclear conflict in the center of Europe. He does not think about the future of either Ukraine or Poland. If his proposals are implemented, these countries will disappear, as well as Europe. He needs to be examined by a psychiatrist, pass the mandate and stay at home under supervision," Volodin added.

"It is because of people like Sikorski that it is necessary to liberate Ukraine not only from the Nazi ideology, but also to demilitarize it, ensuring the country's non-nuclear status," the lawmaker concluded.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment. Russia has warned the West that its supplies of weapons to Ukraine are inflaming the conflict.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
×