After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine found itself in possession of a substantial nuclear stockpile. However, due to financial constraints and geopolitical concerns, Ukraine made the decision to disarm itself of these nuclear weapons. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 was supposed to provide security assurances to Ukraine, but these promises fell short when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatists in Ukraine. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine underscores the security challenges faced by Ukraine without the protection of nuclear weapons. The vulnerability of Ukrainian security in the absence of nuclear deterrence is a pressing issue in the region.