Volodymyr Zelensky has threatened to seek nuclear weapons unless Ukraine is given Nato membership.

The Ukrainian President told European Union leaders during a speech in Brussels that Kyiv needed a strong deterrent against Russia.

“Either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons, which will serve as protection, or it must be part of some kind of alliance. Apart from Nato, we do not know of such an effective alliance,” Mr Zelensky said.

He added that Donald Trump agreed that it was a “fair argument” for Ukraine to seek atomic weaponry when the two leaders spoke in the United States.

Ukraine inherited the world’s third biggest nuclear arsenal, estimated at several thousand nuclear warheads, when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 but, in a gesture of goodwill, surrendered them three years later.

Although Russia has threatened to fire a nuclear missile at Ukraine, this is the first time that Mr Zelensky has discussed building similar capabilities.

He said that it had been a mistake for Ukraine to give up its nuclear missiles in 1994 after receiving security guarantees from Russia, Britain and the US, a view shared by most Ukrainians.

“Who gave up their nuclear weapons? All of them. Only Ukraine,” he said. “Who is fighting today? Ukraine.”