Ukraine war: what is the Budapest Memorandum and why has Russia’s invasion torn it up?

The Conversation ^ | March 2, 2022

[GonzoII]

The unfolding invasion of Ukraine will have far-reaching repercussions that extend way beyond a breach of international law and a violation of the country’s territorial integrity. As American international relations expert David Yost notes, Russia’s actions will weaken the credibility of major power security assurances, undermine the nuclear nonproliferation regime and dampen prospects for future disarmament.....

Putin’s decision to invade is in direct violation of the Budapest Memorandum, a key instrument assuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The memorandum was struck in 1994, following lengthy and complicated negotiations involving the then Russian president Boris Yeltsin, Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma, US president Bill Clinton and the then British prime minister John Major.

Under the terms of the memorandum, Ukraine agreed to relinquish its nuclear arsenal – the world’s third-largest, inherited from the collapsed Soviet Union – and transfer all nuclear warheads to Russia for decommissioning. This enabled Ukraine to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) as a non-nuclear state.

[GonzoII]

"According to a former US diplomat who participated in the talks, Steven Pifer, it was understood that if there was a violation, there would be a response incumbent on the US and the UK. And while that response was not explicitly defined, Pifer notes that: “there is an obligation on the United States that flows from the Budapest Memorandum to provide assistance to Ukraine, and […] that would include lethal military assistance”.

;0)

[Robert357]

The Agreement became meaningless in 2014, when Russia invaded Crimea with “little green men” and then sent in arms and mercenaries to create breakaway regions in Eastern Ukraine.

When the US and the UK did absolutely nothing (except for the Obama/Biden Administration to send MRE’s and blankets to Ukraine—only non lethal aid) to live up the the Budapest Memorandum the US and UK showed their true colors as an force of honor. Remember Biden was part of that. Biden was also tarred with the way the US treated Afghan allies when we quickly pulled out of that country.

Biden was in theory suppose to be more respected and restore the honor and importance of the US among world leaders, at least according to those who hatted Trump. I sense that a lot of the aid and support the US is giving to Ukraine now is because of past foreign policy blunders by the Obama/Biden Administration and by the Biden/Harris Administration.

No one no matter how dedicated a Democrat is going to believe that that 3AM call on the red phone in the White House should be handled by Biden in his current deteriorated mental health state. Even the allies who hated Trump with all their bile, don't want Biden on the receiving end of any world crisis 3 AM phone calls.

[ganeemead]

A WAR between Russia and Ukraine would last 24 hours; this is a rescue mission, not a war or any sort of invasion. You need to sue whoever is responsible for the state of your education.

[Sacajaweau]

A Memorandum is just that...

[markomalley]

Yes, the Budapest Agreement exists. But there are other assurances (also without the force of formal treaty) that also exist. Like our repeated assurances that NATO would not expand eastward... Such as this one:

Source: record of conversation between Mikhail Gorbachev and James Baker, Feb 9, 1990 https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/16117-document-06-record-conversation-between

Again, not a treaty.

But assurances given were critical in allowing for the reunification of Germany, the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, and freedom returning to central and eastern Europe.

[Monterrosa-24]

A rescue mission hunh? So Russia can’t even mount a rescue mission without losing thousands of soldiers, kill thousands of civilians, lose hundreds of tanks, lose over 1000 other armored vehicles, and lose their top navy ship. I guess the Ukrainians didn’t want to be rescued.

[GonzoII]

" Like our repeated assurances that NATO would not expand eastward... Such as this one:”.

I could see that, so long as Russia doesn’t expand westward. ;0)

[deks]

RE: "A WAR between Russia and Ukraine would last 24 hours; this is a rescue mission, not a war or any sort of invasion"

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Putin to the rescue...

[McGruff]

You don’t really want to go there do you?

[Krosan]

Did NATO Promise Not to Enlarge? Gorbachev Says “No”

The interviewer asked why Gorbachev did not “insist that the promises made to you [Gorbachev]—particularly U.S. Secretary of State James Baker’s promise that NATO would not expand into the East—be legally encoded?” Gorbachev replied: “The topic of ‘NATO expansion’ was not discussed at all, and it wasn’t brought up in those years. … Another issue we brought up was discussed: making sure that NATO’s military structures would not advance and that additional armed forces would not be deployed on the territory of the then-GDR after German reunification. Baker’s statement was made in that context… Everything that could have been and needed to be done to solidify that political obligation was done. And fulfilled.”

[Alberta's Child]

I don’t understand why this nonsense is continually posted here. A “Budapest Memorandum” carries no weight in the U.S. It was nothing more than a piece of paper signed by a dope in the White House. Bill Clinton had no authority to unilaterally obligate the U.S. to defend another country — or even send the country a single Big Mac as “non-lethal aid.”

Under our constitution we have this thing called a Senate ratification for international treaties that must take place before any such obligations mean a damn thing.

[MalPearce]

David Yost? Aka Billy from the Power Rangers?

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

As one considers the article about the memorandum from 1994 and various perspectives on it, one might also be slightly curious about the website, the Conversation, headquartered in Massachusetts.

Its Funding Partners, Founding Partners, Members and, last but not least, Strategic Partner (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) suggest its interests and direction.

https://theconversation.com/us

Additionally one might be slightly curious about the actual document.

For the actual text of the memorandum about non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, here is the link to the very short document.

https://policymemos.hks.harvard.edu/files/policymemos/files/2-23-22_ukraine-the_budapest_memo.pdf?m=1645824948

[ganeemead]

"A rescue mission hunh? "

As in,

Rescue the people of Donbass from constant shelling and terrorism.

Rescue everybody else in the place from their deep-state-imposed illegitimate government and its Nazi military.

Rescue anybody who actually voted for that sick perert Zelenski from their own stupidity.

Rescue the people of surrounding parts of Russia and Europe from the perpetual danger of those US financed and operated biowar laboratories.

And put an end to the gargantuan deep-state child trafficking and money laundering ops and other forms of extreme transnational gangsterism.

[bert]

By smiling, you undermine the entire American defense strategy.

The author is correct. All of the many treaties and such are in jeopardy because Putin has taught the world that war is war and is ok. There is no power or assimilation of powers that will stop a determined warrior. The world at large is anti war and in the vernacular, chicken shit

The entire lawyerly American DOD strategy is currently restricted to not killing. People here smile and in isolationist mode condemn but proudly applaud doing nothing.

War is now war. America has grown a cadre of lawyers and has lost the ability to war

[lodi90]

What we see in Ukraine is the Russian way of war and has been so for centuries. They just murder civilians by the thousands and expect their opponent to surrender to stop the carnage. Nothing complicated here and no DOD lawyers required.

[Monterrosa-24]

You are so brain-washed. My wife is one of those Russian-speakers from the Donbas. She’ll tell you who the real criminals are and YOU are on the side of the stinking rapists, looters, invaders, and terrorists. Which Moscow source of news is your favorite?

[bert]

The point is that after WW II war was outlawed and gentlemen decided to stop warring.

The question becomes “how can enemies legally war” Hence the proliferation of military lawyers controlling every action.

Actually, you are incorrect. Until 1945 or so, Russia fought with large armies in the field on battlefields away from cities. The war was decided by armies in the field. WW II changed all that. War was fought everywhere and especially in the cities.

The same was true in America until General Sherman introduced destroying all in his path.

Putin has returned to WW II tactics eschewed and outlawed by the world powers. The world is being taught that war is war and is for winning. Putin is providing Iran a license to destroy Tel Aviv. Putin is providing justification to Saudi Arabia to exterminate Houthi’s where ever they exist.

We will see how it turns out.

[Prince of Space]

So the Ukrainians aren’t fighting back with the $800 million dollar’s worth of weapons and equipment that we gave them? Your post makes it sound like Ukraine is defenseless and not shooting back, destroying property, and killing & maiming soldiers and civilians. Did I misunderstand what you wrote?

[Prince of Space]

So Ukraine isn’t corrupt and full of ultra right wing nationalists like the media told us for the last 8 years? Were they lying then or are they lying now?