The Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994, was a set of security assurances provided by the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom to Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. In exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal, these countries pledged to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity, inviolability of its borders, and refrained from the use or threat of military force against Ukraine.
Key aspects of the Budapest Memorandum:
- Security Assurances:
The memorandum provided security guarantees to Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan in exchange for their adherence to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
- Pledges of Respect:
The signatories pledged to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as the inviolability of its borders.
- Refraining from Force:
The memorandum also included a pledge to refrain from the use or threat of force against Ukraine.
- Context:
The memorandum was signed as a result of Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan's decision to join the NPT as non-nuclear weapon states.
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Fast forward 29 years and the rest of the world currently has front-row seats as to what "SECURITY GUARANTEES" from Russia and the United States are actually worth!
Rather than honour America's commitment to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in return for surrendering its nuclear arsenal, President Trump's solution is to negotiate yet another peace agreement with Russia!
Having himself reneged on the terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that he personally signed in 2020, President Trump is well aware that in 2025, neither trade agreements *USMCP) nor peace treaties (Budapest Memorandum) are worth the paper they're written on!
Ukraine's dilemma will send a ominous message to those nations in the future contemplating parting ways with their nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees - as President Trump it so succinctly when publicly lecturing Zelensky in the White House
