Ukraine’s Laudable Nuclear Policy & Russia’s Attempt to Kill NPT

Without overstating the case, in two dozen years since declaring its independence from Soviet Russian captivity, Ukraine has managed to create an enviable national nuclear culture worthy of emulation by countries that have nuclear weapons, those that don’t and those who would like to construct these weapons of mass destruction.

As a captive nation, without sovereign rights, in 1991 Ukraine found itself in possession of the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal, consisting of 176 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers with some 1,240 warheads on its territory. 

Rather than using these extremely deadly weapons as bargaining chips to blackmail Washington, Moscow or other capitals or even sell to any fanatical terrorist organization, Ukraine did the unthinkable by giving them away. On May 13, 1994, the United States and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Transfer of Missile Equipment and Technology.

But surrendering Ukraine’s nuclear stockpile did have one prerequisite. The free world and Russia agreed to guarantee Ukraine’s territorial integrity in a document that was known as the Budapest Memorandum.

Ukraine’s foresightedness created a precedent that could have paved the way for the realization of mankind’s dream of genuine global peace, stability and security. Countries large and small could have been convinced to follow Ukraine’s path and stop dreaming of their own nuclear stockpiles. But Russia’s penchant for aggression and imperial adventurism was not to be contained and it launched a war against its former captive nation, invaded Ukraine, and seized Crimea and two eastern oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk. After 15 months the Russo-Ukraine War of 2014-15 has not abated and upwards of 6,000 civilians have lost their lives at the hands of Russian soldiers and mercenary terrorists.

Imagine if Ukraine had not voluntarily surrendered its nuclear weapons. Would Russia have had the temerity to attack its nuclear power neighbor? Was depriving Ukraine of nuclear weapons part of Russia’s long-term plan to restore the iron curtain and its prison of nations?

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin was at the United Nations on Thursday, April 29, where he eloquently assured the global community of Ukraine’s unwavering belief in the practical value of the Treaty of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) but cautioned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine not only threatens the effectiveness of that document but simultaneously global peace, security and stability. Klimkin called on the international community to support Ukraine’s efforts to expel Russia from Ukraine for the good of future generations.

“Ukraine has always been the country with an exceptional role within the Non-proliferation Treaty.

“We started from voluntary refusal from the nuclear weapons in 1994. We passed through gradual elimination of nuclear arsenal inherited from the Soviet Union during all the following years. Finally we have eliminated highly enriched uranium by 2012. With this background Ukraine should have become the model state of the NPT regime.

“Ukraine's nuclear-free success story could become an example to follow. This success could contribute greatly into strengthening of the NPT regime.

“But all those efforts were brought to naught by the Russian aggression against Ukraine,” Klimkin said at the NPT Review Conference at the UN.

However, he said, Russia’s war with Ukraine has threatened global peace and fosters nuclear proliferation. The explicit and implied assurances embedded in the Budapest Memorandum, which he bemoaned were never legalized, were to send a message to all countries hoping to acquire nuclear weapons that there is another option embodied in a sovereign, democratic and prosperous Ukraine integrated in the European and Euro-Atlantic structures and living in peace with its neighbors.

“That positive picture, that message and our vision of global security have been crushed almost overnight by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its occupation of Crimea,” he said. “The Budapest Memorandum has been blatantly discarded by the country which pledged to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine.”

Klimkin explained correctly that some countries and their governments could see that Russia’s occupation of a part of Ukrainian territory and a de facto military aggression by Russia against Ukraine as evidence that international legal instruments are insufficient to ensure territorial integrity and inviolability of state borders. Consequently, they could resolve to develop their own nuclear weapons program in defense against a real or perceived enemy.

This is a “tremendous challenge” to the international nuclear security system based on the NPT, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and the IAEA, he said.

Klimkin noted that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has given rise to voices within Ukraine to resume production of nuclear weapons “as the only means to protect ourselves from any outside aggression.”

“But from the Ukrainian government’s standpoint, this option is not on the table. Hereby we confirm that Ukraine considers the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime and an essential basis for achieving the objectives of nuclear disarmament,” Klimkin vowed.

As a result of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the foreign minister said, within a year Moscow has turned the Crimean peninsula from a flourishing seaside resort into an economically depressed region with a modern military base ready for the deployment of nuclear weapons.

“The violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by Russia impedes the implementation of the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. Russia seized Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, installations and materials located on the temporarily occupied Ukraine’s Crimea, in particular the Sevastopol National University of Nuclear Energy and Industry, in contradiction to the Agency Statute.

“Russian-backed militants and Russian regular troops made life of industrial Donbas region of Ukraine a nightmare. Since Minsk agreement was reached we witness constant violations of the ceasefire by the Russian-backed militants in the East of Ukraine. In such situation Ukraine is deeply concerned over the nuclear safety of the facilities located in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

“In this respect, we are looking forward to prompt restoration of Ukrainian control in these regions in accordance with Minsk agreements,” Klimkin said in the hallowed halls of the United Nations.

Klimkin recalled the 70th anniversary of the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki this year, adding that Ukraine is suffering “from aggression by nuclear state Russia. I would also like to use this forum to invoke Russia to stop aggression and liberate Ukrainian territories, illegally occupied throughout 2014.”

Klimkin places sole hope on preserving the global nuclear security system squarely on the international community, which “must recognize that Ukraine is the starting point indicating whether NPT regime is or is not capable to stop proliferation of nuclear weapons. Until territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored and the Crimea is liberated we cannot discuss ‘business as usual’ within the NPT.

“We strongly believe that those challenges should find their rightful reflection in the final document of this Conference wherein the UN General Assembly Resolution ‘Territorial Integrity of Ukraine’ is fully considered,” he said.

The basis of nuclear disarmament and security is building confidence in countries sharing borders with nuclear powers that their weapons and the intention to use them will remain under lock and key. With its war against Ukraine, Russia has shattered the confidence not only of Ukraine but of all former captive nations that are consequently quickly rebuilding their conventional military strength to withstand Russia’s aggression against them.

In order to return the global community of independent states to a shared course toward peace, stability and security, the international community, NATO and the UN must join with Ukraine in forcing the expulsion of Russia from Ukraine. Russia’s secure seat on the UN Security Council must also be questioned. Anything short of that will contribute to rising tensions, instability, comprehensive rearmament and militarization, and continuing global armed conflagrations.