What is the Budapest Memorandum (Memorandum on Security Assurances in Connection with Ukraine’s Accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) and why is it a test of the quality of the United States’ as an ally?

St Olga, patron saint of Kyiv and Ukraine, is disappointed in the United States

What gave rise to the Budapest Memorandum, Big Red Car?

When the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics imploded on 25 December 1991, Ukraine instantly became a former socialist republic and an independent sovereign nation.

Ukraine was always a high military achiever and had 1900 strategic nuclear weapons coupled on 176 intercontinental ballistic missiles, 2500 tactical nuclear weapons, and 54 bombers. These weapons were all owned by what had now become the Russian Federation.

At no time did the Ukrainians have any operational control of these nukes. They were always controlled by Russia. Continue reading →