Russia Amplifies Baseless Claims That UK and France Plan to Arm Ukraine with Nuclear Weapons
Kremlin officials repeat unsubstantiated accusations against Western partners amid heightened war rhetoric on Ukraine’s fourth anniversary
Senior Russian officials have repeated unfounded allegations that the United Kingdom and France are planning to supply nuclear weapons to Ukraine, assertions that Western governments have strongly denied and which lack any verifiable evidence.
The claims were reiterated in statements by Russia’s foreign intelligence service and amplified by senior figures in Moscow on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian officials alleged that Britain and France were considering transferring nuclear capabilities to Kyiv, framing such an action as a direct threat that would justify a more aggressive Russian response.
Western leaders, including the British government, have categorically rejected these accusations, affirming that there is no plan or intent to provide Ukraine with nuclear arms.
The United Kingdom has outlined its support for Kyiv through conventional military aid and diplomatic backing but maintains strict adherence to international non-proliferation norms under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
France, as a nuclear-armed state within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also remains committed to established nuclear doctrines focused on deterrence and defence, not the export of nuclear weapons to third parties.
Officials in Paris have emphasised their ongoing conventional support for Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression.
Analysts note that Moscow has a history of circulating exaggerated or false narratives about Western policy to justify its own strategic objectives and frame external support for Ukraine as hostile.
Independent observers stress that these recent claims serve more as political messaging than as reflections of any credible policy shift by London or Paris.
The resurfacing of such allegations comes amid intense diplomatic activity and continued Western military assistance to Ukraine, underscoring the broader contest over international narratives as the conflict enters its fifth year.