Biden Administration Rules Out Returning Nuclear Weapons to Ukraine

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirms the U.S. is focused on providing conventional military support to Ukraine rather than nuclear capabilities.

• Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Adviser, stated that the Biden administration is not considering providing nuclear weapons to Ukraine, countering recent speculation reported by the New York Times.
• Ukraine relinquished its nuclear arsenal in 1994 under the Budapest Memorandum in exchange for security assurances from Russia, the U.S., and the U.K., a deal that has been criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since Russia's invasion in 2022.
• The U.S. has recently approved $275 million in additional conventional weapons for Ukraine and forgiven $4.7 billion in loans as part of ongoing support before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
• Donald Trump has pledged to end the war quickly if elected but has raised concerns about potentially pressuring Ukraine to cede territory to Russia during negotiations.
• Russia has condemned the notion of Ukraine regaining nuclear weapons as 'insanity' and has increased its defense budget for 2025 while updating its nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for potential use.

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