After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine found itself in possession of a substantial nuclear stockpile. However, financial constraints and geopolitical concerns prompted Ukraine to surrender its nuclear weapons. The 1994 Budapest Memorandum offered security assurances to Ukraine, but these guarantees were called into question when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatists in Ukraine. The current Russia-Ukraine conflict underscores the security challenges faced by Ukraine in the absence of nuclear deterrence. The vulnerability of Ukrainian security has become increasingly apparent in light of these events.