After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine acquired a substantial nuclear arsenal. However, facing economic challenges and geopolitical uncertainties, Ukraine made the decision to give up its nuclear weapons. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 assured security assurances to Ukraine, but these guarantees were called into question when Russia seized Crimea and backed separatists in Ukraine. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine underscores the security vulnerabilities that Ukraine faces in the absence of nuclear deterrence.