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UK Must Help Ukraine Regain Nuclear Arms, Retired British Commander Says

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Roman Kohanets
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UK Must Help Ukraine Regain Nuclear Arms, Retired British Commander Says
A disarmed Intercontinental ballistic missile SS-18 Mod 5 (NATO reporting name: Satan) is seen in Ukraine’s Museum of Strategic Missile Forces. (Source: Getty Images)

Retired British Army officer Richard Kemp said on May 31, 2025, during the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa that the United Kingdom should help Ukraine develop its own nuclear weapons under a strategic partnership agreement. It was reported on May 31 by Espreso.  

“Britain has to ensure Ukraine’s Armed Forces once again possess nuclear weapons,” Kemp stated.

Richard Kemp on May 31, 2025 during the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa (Source: open source)
Richard Kemp on May 31, 2025 during the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa (Source: open source)

Kemp reminded attendees that the United Kingdom was among the signatories of the 1995 Budapest Memorandum, in which Britain guaranteed Ukraine’s security in exchange for its denuclearization. He argued that, nearly three decades later, those assurances have failed to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression. Kemp warned that without a credible nuclear deterrent, Kyiv cannot ensure its long‐term sovereignty.

The debate over Ukraine’s nuclear future has intensified since Russia’s full‐scale invasion. While practical challenges—such as the technical requirements for uranium enrichment and warhead production—remain significant, Kemp insisted that British support would accelerate Ukraine’s ability to reconstitute a minimal deterrent.  

Previously, it was reported that Ukraine had received the initial eight Raven short-range air defense systems from the United Kingdom, developed in just four months to counter Shahed-type drones. The rapid delivery and successful testing marked the first operational deployment of Raven vehicles on the front lines.

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