'Ukraine no longer trusts empty promises': MFA recalls failure of Budapest Memorandum
Photo: Andrii Sybiha (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
On Friday, December 5, it will be 31 years since the signing of the Budapest Memorandum, which has become synonymous with a "failed security agreement." Today, Ukraine no longer trusts empty promises, according to a statement by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Twitter (X).
"31 years ago on this day, the Budapest memorandum was signed. A piece of paper that has become synonymous with a failed security arrangement. Having had such a bitter experience in the past, Ukraine no longer trusts empty promises — we trust the strength of our army and weapons," his post reads.
Sybiha noted that Ukraine now needs reliable security guarantees for "a real, just, and lasting peace."
"As we work to put an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine, it is important to remember the bitter lessons of Budapest," the minister emphasized.
What the Budapest Memorandum provides
The Budapest Memorandum on security assurances was signed on December 5, 1994. Under this document, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States committed to respecting Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and existing borders.
In addition, the signatories pledged to refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine’s territorial integrity and political independence.
The document also emphasized that none of their weapons should be used against Ukraine, except in cases of self-defense or in accordance with the UN Charter.
The memorandum further contains commitments not to use economic pressure to subordinate Ukraine’s foreign policy decisions or obtain unilateral advantages.
Violation of the Memorandum
Since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the aggressor state has effectively stopped complying with the terms of the Budapest Memorandum. The armed aggression that began in eastern Ukraine, followed by the full-scale invasion in February 2022, constituted a direct violation of the document’s fundamental principles.
The international community has repeatedly emphasized that it is Russia that destroyed the system of guarantees enshrined in the Budapest Memorandum, calling into question the very idea of nuclear disarmament as a tool of global security.
Notably, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently claimed that Russia does not consider its actions against Ukraine to be in any way a violation of the Budapest Memorandum.
