After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited a significant nuclear stockpile. Despite possessing these nuclear weapons, Ukraine decided to give them up due to financial constraints and geopolitical concerns. The 1994 Budapest Memorandum pledged security assurances to Ukraine, which were called into question when Russia seized Crimea and backed separatists in Ukraine. The current Russia-Ukraine conflict underscores the security challenges faced by Ukraine without the protection of nuclear deterrence. The vulnerability of Ukrainian security in the face of Russian aggression is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed.