North Korea accuses Zelensky and Ukraine of seeking nuclear weapons

The claims were made by North Korea in response to Ukraine's pro-nuclear petition.

The sister of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un has accused Ukraine of attempting to obtain nuclear weapons, according to the country's state media. Kim Yo Jong, who is also a high-ranking member of the North Korean regime, made the claims in reaction to a petition which appeared on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's website. [caption id="attachment_771640" align="alignnone" width="640"] Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister, made the comments this week. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption] The petition appeared on Zelensky's website following an announcement by Vladimir Putin that Russia plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which borders northern Ukraine. Initially appearing online on Thursday, the public petition called on Ukraine to host nuclear weapons within its own territory or be armed with nuclear weapons of its own, in response to Putin's announcement. However, by Saturday afternoon, the petition had only registered 611 signatures, far below the required total of 25,000 required for Zelensky to offer an official response. [caption id="attachment_771641" align="alignnone" width="640"] President Zelensky is yet to offer comment on the nuclear petition. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption] Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin and North Korea have been tightening ties between the two nations. North Korea remains one of Putin's last remaining allies, with Kim Jong Un having supported Russia's invasion and annexation of parts of Ukraine, in spite of most U.N. members condemning Putin's actions as illegal. With Ukraine having given up its own nuclear weapons arsenal in the 1990's following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia had promised not to threaten the security of its neighbour. Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky himself, are yet to comment on the petition. However, an adviser to the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister did say last March that it had been "a mistake" for Ukraine to surrender it nuclear capabilities. Related Articles:

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