After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine acquired a considerable nuclear stockpile. However, facing financial constraints and geopolitical uncertainties, Ukraine made the decision to surrender its nuclear arsenal. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 was supposed to provide security assurances to Ukraine, but when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatists in Ukraine, these guarantees proved to be inadequate. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine underscores the vulnerabilities in Ukrainian security without the protection of nuclear deterrence. The situation serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by countries in maintaining their security in the absence of nuclear weapons.