The ministry noted that Dec. 5, 2024, marks 30 years since
Ukraine signed the memorandum, which was supposed to guarantee its security,
sovereignty, and territorial integrity in exchange for giving up the world’s
third-largest nuclear arsenal.
“However, in 2014, the Russian Federation, one of the
memorandum’s security guarantors, blatantly violated this document and
international law, starting its aggression against Ukraine, which escalated
into a full-scale invasion in 2022,” the ministry said.
The ministry emphasized that the memorandum’s failure
increased security threats not only for Ukraine but also for other countries
and regions.
“The lack of real, effective security guarantees for Ukraine
in the 1990s was a strategic mistake exploited by Moscow. This mistake must be
corrected. Ukraine needs clear, legally binding security guarantees that
reflect its significant contribution to global nuclear disarmament and
international peace and security,” the ministry stated.
The ministry also urged all parties to the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty to support effective security guarantees for Ukraine.
“We believe that the only real security guarantee for
Ukraine and a deterrent to further Russian aggression against Ukraine and other
countries is full NATO membership. With the painful experience of the Budapest
Memorandum, we will not settle for any alternatives or substitutes for full
NATO membership,” Ukrainian diplomats stressed.
An invitation to NATO would counter Russian blackmail and
dispel Kremlin illusions about halting Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, the
statement added. It’s also the only way to “stop the erosion” of nuclear
non-proliferation principles and restore trust in nuclear disarmament.
The ministry concluded that the memorandum’s anniversary is
a timely opportunity to take decisive steps toward Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
NATO membership invitation
Inviting Ukraine to NATO is the first point in President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s victory plan, presented to European leaders on Oct. 17 in
Brussels.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently stated that
Ukraine will eventually become the alliance’s 33rd or 34th member. However, Politico
reported that NATO has yet to respond to Zelenskyy’s call for an invitation.
On Oct. 16, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith indicated
the alliance is not planning to invite Ukraine soon. Similarly, Ukraine’s envoy
to NATO, Nataliya Galibarenko, told Reuters that Kyiv is pushing for an invitation
before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office.
NATO Parliamentary Assembly President Gerry Connolly has
stated that Ukraine can only receive an invitation after restoring sovereignty
over its territories. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reiterated
Ukraine’s call for an invitation on Nov. 29.
Despite Ukraine’s efforts, Reuters reported that NATO is unlikely to support Kyiv’s request during the Dec. 3 meeting.