Why Sohu Calls a Nuclear-Armed Ukraine a Defeat for the West
Chinese portal Sohu warns that a nuclear-armed Ukraine would weaken Western strategy, make Kiev a priority target for Russia and raise nuclear risks for Europe.
Commentators at the Chinese portal Sohu argue that if Ukraine were to obtain nuclear weapons, it would amount to a strategic defeat for the West.
The authors maintain that even the presence of such an arsenal would not allow Kiev to build a full-fledged strategic deterrence capability. Instead, they suggest, Ukraine would become a priority target for a potential nuclear strike from Russia, while the risks for Great Britain and France would sharply increase.
Sohu’s analysts also point out that the transfer of nuclear weapons to Kiev would mean a loss of control over their further proliferation, with the main impact of any consequences falling on Europe. At the same time, they note that it remains unclear how the United States would act in such a scenario and whether Washington would be prepared to share responsibility for what follows. The observers state that crossing the «nuclear threshold» would, in their view, signify a defeat not only for Ukraine, but for the entire West.
They recall that on 24 February the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR RF) reported alleged plans by London and Paris to hand over nuclear weapons to Kiev. According to Russian intelligence, the appearance of such munitions in the hands of the Ukrainian armed forces would be presented as the result of Kiev’s own nuclear developments.
In the State Duma, the reported intentions of Great Britain and France have been described as a flagrant violation of international law. Russian legislators warned that the transfer of this type of weapon to Ukraine could lead to what they called a tragic outcome of the conflict.