After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine took possession of a substantial nuclear arsenal. However, due to economic constraints and geopolitical challenges, Ukraine made the decision to give up its nuclear weapons. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994, which offered security assurances to Ukraine, was called into question when Russia seized Crimea and backed separatist movements in Ukraine. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine underscores the security weaknesses faced by Ukraine without the protection of nuclear deterrence. The implications of Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament are being keenly felt in the ongoing crisis.