Russia has accused France and the United Kingdom of seeking to arm Ukraine with a dirty bomb. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky stated he would accept nuclear weapons from Britain and France “with pleasure,” while emphasizing that no such offer had ever been made.

In response to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claims that Western nations were planning to smuggle components for a radioactive dirty bomb or potentially a nuclear weapon, Zelensky addressed the allegations in an interview. A dirty bomb—a conventional explosive device laced with radioactive material—does not have the destructive force of a nuclear warhead but can contaminate large areas.

The SVR suggested that if Ukraine obtained such a weapon, it “would be able to aspire to more advantageous terms of ceasing the hostilities.” Both the United Kingdom and France have dismissed the accusation.

When asked whether Ukraine was covertly seeking nuclear weapons through its Western partners, Zelensky noted he would have taken them “with pleasure,” but clarified there were no proposals. In 2022, days before Russia’s full-scale invasion began, Zelenskiy had suggested Ukraine might reconsider its non-nuclear status.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described Zelenskiy’s remarks as a “confession” of what London and Paris have “stubbornly kept silent about.” Meanwhile, Kirill Dmitriev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin and a key negotiator in Ukraine peace talks, claimed the interviewer had “urgently interrupted” Zelenskiy during his response on nuclear weapons.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the SVR intelligence would be considered in ongoing peace negotiations but warned it could have thwarted “crazy” nuclear plans.