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Nuclear weapon delivery to Ukraine is issue of non-proliferation, not desire — diplomat

Maria Zakharova recalled that both the United States and Ukraine are parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. The issue of nuclear weapons delivery to Ukraine does not depend on the US desire or non-desire and is regulated by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

The Russian diplomat thus commented on a statement by US Representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

"This is not an issue of Ukraine’s desire or non-desire. This is not even an issue of the US desire or non-desire. This is an issue of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons whose parties both the United States and Ukraine are," the diplomat wrote on her Telegram channel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his televised address to the nation on February 21 that Ukraine’s statements on the possibility of creating its own nuclear weapons was not an empty bravado as Kiev possessed Soviet technologies and delivery vehicles for such weapons. The Russian president also said that technological support from abroad could also not be ruled out.