Ukrainian citizens generally support return of nuclear weapons, but fear losing Western support – survey

Most Ukrainians are in favor of regaining their nuclear weapons, which the country renounced 30 years ago as part of the Budapest Memorandum. However, there are concerns about losing support from Western countries.

The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology reported that in a survey.

Sociologists formulated three different questions about the restoration of nuclear weapons:

• without additional positive or negative information;
• provided that support from the West is lost, and sanctions are imposed;
• with the loss of support from the West, but with the condition that Ukraine has enough resources to hold out until nuclear weapons are developed.

Overall, 73% are in favor of reinstating nuclear weapons, while 20% are against it (and another 7% are undecided).

If the West withdraws its support and imposes sanctions, the number of people in favor of reinstating nuclear weapons decreases to 46%. In comparison, the percentage of those opposed to the idea rises to 44% (with the remaining 10% undecided).

However, if Ukraine can sustain itself until it acquires nuclear weapons, then 58% of the population would be willing to take the risk of losing support from the West to obtain these weapons.

33% would not support the decision to obtain nuclear weapons in such a scenario (and the remaining 8% have undecided views).

Attitudes in 1994

KIIS sociologists recalled that in mid-1994, 50% of Ukrainians believed that Ukraine should become a nuclear-free state, while 30% were in favor of possessing nuclear weapons. The remaining 20% ​​had undecided views.

Moreover, at that time (1994), nuclear weapons were significantly inferior in relevance to other issues in Ukrainians' minds. When asked what problems concern Ukrainians the most, only 5% included nuclear weapons among the top issues.

The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology conducted the survey among 2,000 respondents from December 2 to 17, 2024.

For reference:

On October 17, Bild, citing an unnamed high-ranking Ukrainian official, reported that Ukraine would allegedly restore its nuclear arsenal if Russia launches a second invasion after the end of the current war.

At the same time, the unnamed official assured that Ukraine "has the materials and knowledge" for nuclear weapons. Therefore, it may take several weeks to create the first bomb.

In response, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, Andrii Kovalenko, emphasized that "any fantasies" of Western journalists about Ukrainian nuclear weapons are "fiction."

Presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn also commented on this material for Channel 24. According to him, "it has long been possible to confuse Julian Roepke's words with Russian propagandists' statements since both "throw the same nonsense into the information space."

The Times also writes that Ukraine can develop a nuclear bomb within a few months. This could happen if the newly elected US President Donald Trump stops military aid to Kyiv.

In turn, President Zelensky stated that Ukraine is not discussing the possibility of renewing its nuclear arsenal and is not preparing to create nuclear weapons. Still, instead, NATO membership is the only alternative to protect the country.