After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine found itself in possession of a substantial nuclear arsenal. However, financial constraints and geopolitical concerns led Ukraine to surrender its nuclear weapons. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 assured Ukraine of security guarantees, but the annexation of Crimea by Russia and its backing of separatists in Ukraine demonstrated the unreliability of these promises. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine underscores the importance of nuclear deterrence in ensuring Ukrainian security. The vulnerabilities faced by Ukraine without nuclear capabilities have become glaringly evident in the ongoing crisis.