Informed Comment Homepage

Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion

Header Right

  • Featured
  • US politics
  • Middle East
  • Environment
  • US Foreign Policy
  • Energy
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions

© 2025 Informed Comment

  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Ukraine
Ukraine gave up its Nukes for a US Security Pledge; Then Trump Muscled Zelensky by Cutting Mil. Aide

Ukraine gave up its Nukes for a US Security Pledge; Then Trump Muscled Zelensky by Cutting Mil. Aide

William H. Espinosa 09/29/2019

Tweet
Share
Reddit
Email

(Informed Comment) – In the coverage of the current scandal, no one seems to be writing about the national security debt the US (and others) owes the Ukraine. Large numbers of missiles and nuclear weapons infrastructure were located in the Ukraine when the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine became independent. In fact, for a while, the Ukraine had the third most powerful nuclear force in the world.

In return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear capability, Russia, the UK, the US and the Ukraine entered in 1994 into the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. The parties promised Ukraine that they would respect its independence and sovereignty and its existing borders and reaffirmed their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons would ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence.

Everyone understood that this was really an American promise to deter Russia from seeking to reannex the Ukraine (in whole or in part). For a variety of reasons, the agreement was not submitted to the Senate as a binding defense treaty, creating some ambiguity in the US commitment. This made it particularly important that the diplomatic signal-calling be clear.

A lot has happened since 1994 but the gist of that promise remains. Some level of strategic support for the Ukraine has been an element of a bipartisan policy for a quarter of a century— except now the Ukrainians learn that it is of such little regard to the current Putin-loving, American President, that he would abandon the commitment if he doesn’t get his political dirt.

Other countries and leaders (think, North Korea, think, Iran) are watching too. This conduct provides extraordinary reinforcement to a common, post-Libya narrative—you give up your nuclear program to the US at your peril. In my view, this is one of the key and most dangerous outcomes of Trump’s reprehensible conduct. This is not just an oops-I-crossed-the-line electoral peccadillo but a damaging national security betrayal.

——

Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

Washington Post: “Trump’s bilateral meeting with Ukraine’s Zelensky, in 3 minutes”

Filed Under: Ukraine, US Foreign Policy

About the Author

William H. Espinosa is a lawyer with over thirty years international experience working in government and law. He works on behalf of chidren’s rights as Executive Director of Youth Advocate Program International and is the author of the eco-thriller, Warming! Bill lives in Charlottesville, VA.

Primary Sidebar

Support Independent Journalism

Click here to donate via PayPal.

Personal checks should be made out to Juan Cole and sent to me at:

Juan Cole
P. O. Box 4218,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548
USA
(Remember, make the checks out to “Juan Cole” or they can’t be cashed)

STAY INFORMED

Join our newsletter to have sharp analysis delivered to your inbox every day.
Warning! Social media will not reliably deliver Informed Comment to you. They are shadowbanning news sites, especially if "controversial."
To see new IC posts, please sign up for our email Newsletter.

Social Media

Bluesky | Instagram

Popular

  • Trump never saw a Wind Farm in China, but Beijing has half of all Installed Wind Capacity and will Eat America's Lunch in this Industry
  • Israel continues to Starve, Target Gaza Civilians in ongoing Genocide
  • Trumpism holds all Men are Created Unequal and most should be Denied Life, Liberty or the Pursuit of Happiness
  • The Trump Team's Purge of Pentagon Photos Raises Sinister Echoes from the Past
  • Why China's Inaction on Palestine and Iran Weakens its Global Standing

Gaza Yet Stands


Juan Cole's New Ebook at Amazon. Click Here to Buy
__________________________

Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires



Click here to Buy Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam


Click here to Buy The Rubaiyat.
Sign up for our newsletter

Informed Comment © 2025 All Rights Reserved