Zelenskyy proposes that guarantors from the Budapest Memorandum sign a new "serious" agreement

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposes that a new agreement be signed with the guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum, in addition to Russia. The agreement should prescribe the consequences to follow in the event of aggression, and the countries involved should sign a similar agreement with Russia.

Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with journalists on Wednesday

Quote from Zelenskyy: "The Budapest Memorandum let us all down. Starting with those who were weak and legally signed this undertaking to our entire society, because we were sure that our territorial integrity and security exists and is protected. Here is an example of the Budapest Memorandum.

Please, let's implement it in our lives, and create a format that works. And we will be sure that there will be no nuclear threats from Russia, other than sheer rhetoric. The whole world is thinking about this, so let's do it. How?

Let's take the circle of guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum, in addition to Russia; we, Ukraine, will sign an agreement with them again, a serious agreement with consequences. And then we will enter into a specular agreement among the members of the memorandum, the guarantors, and Russia. Let them do the same, with all the consequences. This way, it will work. In my opinion, these steps are possible, so let's do it. You say, we need to hurry, you say, Russia wants peace."

Additional information: In 1991, Ukraine had the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world, but our country lost its nuclear status on 2 June 1996. 

The Budapest Memorandum of 1994 provided Ukraine with security guarantees regarding its accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The Memorandum was signed by Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, but since 2014, the Russian Federation has carried out aggression against Ukraine, occupied its territories, and on 24 February 2022, launched a full-scale invasion.

Background: On 15 November, Zelenskyy in his video address to the G20 summit, called on leaders to make Russia abandon any threats with nuclear weapons. "The basis for such efforts may be the Budapest Memorandum and the corresponding capabilities of the signatory states," he said.

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