OREANDA-NEWS. Threats from Kiev about the return of nuclear status are empty talk that will not lead to real results, writes the Chinese military portal Zhongguo Junwang.

The article expresses the opinion that "The national and technical power of Ukraine is far from what it used to be. It can be said that the statement of the Ukrainian ambassador on the return of the status of a nuclear power is just stubbornness."

Among other things, the development of Ukraine's nuclear potential would displease most Western politicians and aggravate the situation in Kiev, the author of the material believes.

Earlier, Ukraine's Ambassador to Berlin Andriy Melnyk put forward an "ultimatum" to NATO. He said that Kiev will think about returning its nuclear status in case of problems with joining the alliance. According to Melnik, such a step is necessary for Ukraine to "protect itself from Russia." Later, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called the words of the diplomat a personal point of view.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, in turn, saw in this statement an attempt to save the rating of Vladimir Zelensky. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on Ukraine to think about falling living standards and rapid de-industrialization instead of deploying nuclear weapons in the country.