After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine found itself in possession of a substantial nuclear stockpile. However, financial constraints and geopolitical concerns led the country to voluntarily surrender these weapons. The 1994 Budapest Memorandum was supposed to provide security assurances to Ukraine, but these proved to be insufficient when Russia seized Crimea and backed separatist movements within Ukraine. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine underscores the importance of nuclear deterrence for Ukrainian security. The vulnerabilities faced by Ukraine in the absence of nuclear weapons have become glaringly apparent in this ongoing struggle.