Ukraine, once possessing a significant nuclear arsenal following the collapse of the Soviet Union, made the decision to give it up due to financial and geopolitical considerations. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 provided assurances of protection from the UK, Russia, and the US. Nevertheless, Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 exposed the fragility of these security assurances, showcasing Ukraine’s susceptibility in the face of continued Russian hostilities.