Ukraine?
Not Russia?
What kool-aid have you been drinking?
Don’t like the UK as a source? Egypt was watching too. Here’s a Russian political party leader, widely thought of as part of the Kremlin’s spin machine, issuing a Putin-approved rant on why Paris, Berlin and the whole of the UK now need to be completely wiped out with a pre-emptive nuclear strike.
He doesn’t even seem to care that NATO might retaliate - which is so insane even the presenter (not known for being a massive moderate) seems perturbed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv0FJiBxzzY
So much for “nobody wants a nuclear war” - some Russian politicans are jonesing for one.
Besides... UKRAINE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE NUKES! How can they want a war with a weapon they don’t even have any control over?!
They gave all the nukes in their territory back to Russia in the 1990s in return for cast iron assurances that Russia would never attack Ukraine.
Google the Budapest Memorandum - it is literally the most idiot-proof, loophole-free, plain English treaty ever signed by Russia and the USA. The treaty specifically requires Russia and other signatories (a) not to interfere in Ukraine’s internal politics, effect regime change, or invade it; and (b) to respond to Ukraine’s defense if someone else DOES those things.
Budapest was so encompassing that Putin’s funding of Viktor Yanukovych’s election followed by his bribing of Viktor Yanukovych to bin the EU Free Trade Agreement (after 8 months of effort on it) in favor of a pro-Russia debt management plan ITSELF violated the Accord so America and the UK actually should’ve got off their arses in December 2013.
We failed to do that, so Putin now thinks we really don’t have the bottle to ever challenge him directly on any front.
So he is toying with the idea of using Nukes. The reason USA isn’t on his target map is because he’s counting on the USA doing the “not our problem” thing if Europe does get wiped out.
Google the Budapest Memorandum - it is literally the most idiot-proof, loophole-free, plain English treaty ever signed by Russia and the USA. The treaty specifically requires Russia and other signatories (a) not to interfere in Ukraine’s internal politics, effect regime change, or invade it; and (b) to respond to Ukraine’s defense if someone else DOES those things.Budapest was so encompassing that Putin’s funding of Viktor Yanukovych’s election followed by his bribing of Viktor Yanukovych to bin the EU Free Trade Agreement (after 8 months of effort on it) in favor of a pro-Russia debt management plan ITSELF violated the Accord so America and the UK actually should’ve got off their arses in December 2013.
To hell with Googling it. I will link, cite and quote it in full. Your fairy tales are not contained in the MEMORANDUM.
The Budapest Memorandum is a diplomatic MEMORANDUM, not a treaty.
As a MEMORANDUM, it contains ASSURANCES, not guarantees which would be the language if it were a treaty.
The Budapest Memorandum contains no obligation for anyone to come to the defense of Ukraine if someone interferes with Ukraine's internal politics, effects regime change, or invades it. The commitment was to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine if Ukraine should become a victim of an act or aggression. The matter was referred to the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council did NOT authorize the use of military force by its members, or any of them, against Russia.
"4. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used."
- - - - - - - - - -
Memorandum on security assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Budapest, 5 December 1994.
Registration with the Secretariat of the United Nations: Ukraine, 2 October 2014
- - - - - - - - - -
The Budapest Memorandum
No. 52241Ukraine, Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America
Memorandum on security assurances in connection with Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Budapest, 5 December 1994
Entry into force: 5 December 1994 by signature
Authentic texts: English, Russian and Ukrainian
Registration with the Secretariat of the United Nations: Ukraine, 2 October 2014
Ukraine, Federation de Russie, Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord et Etats-Unis d'Amerique
Memorandum relatif aux garanties de securite dans le cadre de l'adhesion de l'Ukraine au Traite sur la non-proliferation des armes nucleaires. Budapest, 5 decembre 1994
Entree en vigueur: 5 decembre 1994 par signature
Textes authentiques: anglais, russe et ukrainien
Enregistrement aupres du Secretariat de l'Organisation des Nations Unies: Ukraine, 2 octobre 2014
[English text - Texte anglais]
MEMORANDUM ON SECURITY ASSURANCES IN CONNECTION WITH UKRAINE’S ACCESSION TO THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America,
Welcoming the Accession of Ukraine to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon state,
Taking into account the commitment of Ukraine to eliminate all nuclear weapons from its territory within a specified period of time,
Noting the changes in the world-wide security situation, including the end of the Cold War, which have brought about conditions for deep reductions in nuclear forces,
Confirm the following:
1. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the CSCE Final Act, to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine.
2. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America reaffirm 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 will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
3. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the Principles of the CSCE Final Act, to refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by Ukraine of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind.
4. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used.
5. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America reaffirm, in the case of Ukraine, their commitment not to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, except in the case of an attack on themselves, their territories or dependent territories, their armed forces, or their allies, by such a state in association or alliance with a nuclear weapon state.
6. Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America will consult in the event a situation arises which raises a question concerning these commitments.
This Memorandum will become applicable upon signature.
Signed in four copies having equal validity in the Ukrainian, English, and Russian languages.