After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine acquired a substantial nuclear arsenal. However, due to economic challenges and geopolitical concerns, Ukraine made the decision to give up its nuclear weapons. The 1994 Budapest Memorandum provided security assurances to Ukraine, but these guarantees were called into question when Russia seized Crimea and backed separatist movements in Ukraine. The current Russia-Ukraine conflict underscores the importance of nuclear deterrence in ensuring Ukrainian security. The vulnerabilities faced by Ukraine without nuclear weapons have become glaringly apparent.