Defense council secretary Turchynov: Nuclear disarmament of Ukraine was historical mistake

Turchynov said this in an interview with the Gordon Ukrainian online newspaper, the press service of the National Security and Defense Council reported on Wednesday.

"In today's world, everyone has to be self-reliant. Nobody pays attention to the weak. The weak are being humiliated and used! Only a strong Ukraine can make others respect it and reckon with its national interests! We must build such a Ukraine together," Turchynov said.

He added that nuclear disarmament was Ukraine’s historical mistake. "The security guarantees given to us were not even worth the paper which they were written on," the NSDC secretary said.

Ukraine should rely on its own forces until it joins NATO, Turchynov explained

"What can prevent an aggressive nuclear country from large-scale invading? Only the powerful modern deterrent weapons capable of hitting the enemy at any distance. In my opinion, this matter should be settled as a priority. No one in the world has moral or legal right to disagree with this stance," he said.

ol