Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

The Budapest Memorandum: A Deal That Should Have Ensured Peace in Ukraine

The Budapest Memorandum: A Deal That Should Have Ensured Peace in Ukraine

By invading Ukraine, Russia has once again offended the nation’s sovereignty, and in doing so, breached the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Russia is among the signatories of the agreement, which ensured respect for Ukraine’s borders and freedom from being invaded by Russia, in return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons.

Ukraine had around 1,700 nuclear warheads in 1994, more than the amount the United Kingdom, China, and France had put together. With the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world, the Ukrainian government now had a very strong deterrent to Russian aggression, but also a bargaining tool.

Powerful, but Dangerous Bargaining Tools


The weapons Ukraine possessed were its inheritance in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), formed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The launch codes for the weapons were protected in Russia. At this point, the Ukrainian government had the option of reprogramming the weapons (a 2016 study suggested this would have taken roughly a year and a half), which would have made it the third most relevant nuclear power.

"But the government was also given a second major option: assurance from the two biggest nuclear powers, Russia and the United States, along with the United Kingdom, that the state’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty would be respected if it gave up its armament.


It was understandably difficult for Ukraine to enter the deal. Not only did it have a history of fighting for independence against Russia, but analysts were already warning of a Russian invasion in 1993 in the case that the warheads were given up. The economic difficulties that faced post-Soviet states were mounting in the early 90s, and it was in the interest of Western powers to avoid serious conflict by ensuring that preferably only one state, Russia, would have nuclear weapons. With pressure from both sides, Ukraine had to make a decision.

A Formal Assurance of Ukraine’s Sovereignty


In 1993, Ukraine signed a deal with Russia giving up its claims to the warheads and the Black Sea Fleet (the weakened fleet was in the Ukrainian territory of Crimea after the Soviet Union’s dissolution) in return for 2.5 billion dollars in gas and oil debt cancellation and future supplies for its nuclear power reactors. But the country’s entry into the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was a negotiation which took three years, culminating in the Budapest Memorandum.

US President Bill Clinton, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, and Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk signed the Memorandum in Budapest on December 5. In return for entering the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the USA, the UK and Russia agreed to the following:

1. Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and existing borders shall be respected.

2. The signatories shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territory or political independence of Ukraine.

3. The signatories shall refrain from influencing Ukrainian politics with economic pressure.

4. Immediate United Nations Security Council action shall provide assistance to Ukraine if it becomes the victim “of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used.”

5. Nuclear weapons shall not be used against Ukraine

6. Consult in the event that questions arise on these commitments

Putin Breaks Promise of Peace on False Claims


Vladimir Putin first breached the treaty in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea, violating Ukraine’s sovereignty. Putin claimed that his actions were justified, describing the Ukrainian situation as a revolution. “A new state arises,” he said, to which “we have not signed any obligatory documents.”

Once again, Putin feels the need to break the international agreement to meet his territorial ambitions. This time around he’s claimed that Russian troops need to “denazify” Ukraine, which is ironic considering that Volodymyr Zelensky is of Jewish origin, and was elected in a fair election with 70 percent of the vote.

The impact of Russia’s breach of the agreement is clear to everyone watching the news, and will continue to destabilize the region. Zelensky warned the 58th Munich Security Conference on February 19 that inasmuch as Russia chooses to breach the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine is just as capable of doing the same.

Claims of Ukrainian Nuclear Rearmament Unrealistic


The Ukrainian president brought up the sixth point of the Memorandum, emphasizing that Ukraine has tried to bring together the signatories for a consultation three times since 2014, but all attempts have been unsuccessful.

Zelensky’s warning underscores a rebuilding of the nation’s nuclear arsenal, an option which Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany said the government was already considering last spring.

The alleged potential of Ukraine to produce nuclear weapons has also been cited by Russian officials as a justification for war. However, there is no proof of Ukraine having begun rearming itself with nuclear weapons. In fact, Western experts have asserted that Ukraine does not have the scientific, logistical, financial, and geopolitical strength to arm itself with nuclear warheads at this time.

On a positive note, the condemnation Russia has received by nearly the entire international community shows that international agreements such as the Budapest Memorandum do hold relevance in establishing right from wrong. Even if Putin chooses to break the agreement in favor of political ambitions, the offence has been recorded, and will be remembered.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
×