After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine found itself in possession of a substantial nuclear arsenal. However, due to economic constraints and geopolitical concerns, Ukraine made the decision to give up its nuclear weapons. The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 was supposed to provide security assurances to Ukraine, but these promises were called into question when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatist movements in Ukraine. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine underscores the security challenges that Ukraine faces without the protection of a nuclear deterrent. The vulnerability of Ukraine’s security situation is starkly evident in the ongoing tensions with Russia.