President-elect Donald Trump could hand Ukraine nuclear weapons to thwart Vladimir Putin’s Russia once and for all, an expert tells the Daily Express.
Mr Trump stormed to a decisive election victory earlier this month, but his win sparked concerns in Ukraine about what this could mean for the US support in the war.
But despite fears that Mr Trump could force Ukraine into an undesirable ceasefire deal, one expert believes the returning President could take a different approach.
Nicholas Drummond, a security and defence expert, told the Daily Express that Mr Trump could give Ukraine nuclear weapons.
He said: “In the next four years Russia will rearm, but also Ukraine will recover and rearm and prepare. That preparation could be the US giving Ukraine nuclear weapons.
“A deal could be done very quietly, and suddenly Ukraine becomes very powerful. Zelensky can say ‘we have nuclear weapons and if you attack us we will bomb Moscow’.
“Can you imagine what that would do to Putin? This is one reason why Putin may be weary of a peace deal that is not exactly on his terms.
“It could be Trump’s trump card. It could be reckless to give Ukraine nuclear weapons on one hand, on the other, it could restore the balance of peace and power in the region.
“The US could say they will give Ukraine nuclear weapons but say you cannot join NATO.”
It is still not clear what Mr Trump plans to do in Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal reported this month that he will look to establish a demilitarised zone between Ukraine and Russia.
Citing a source close to Mr Trump, the news outlet added that the US could seek to freeze Ukraine’s NATO bid for 20 years.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that the war will end quicker with Mr Trump in the White House.
He said the war “will end faster with the policy of this team that will now lead the White House.”
He continued: “We must do everything to ensure that the war ends next year through diplomatic means.”
