Ukraine once had world's 3rd largest nuclear stockpile. Now, it has none | Know why

New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Nearly two decades ago in 1991, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons - the third-largest stockpile in the world - after getting separated from the erstwhile Soviet Union. Today, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the latter's decision to give up its nuclear weapons has become a question of debate.

Here's all you need to know about why Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal

When the USSR dissolved in 1991, thousands of nuclear arms had been left on Ukrainian soil by Moscow. The country, at that time, had an estimated 1,900 strategic warheads, 176 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), and 44 strategic bombers, according to the Arms Control Association of the US

However, Ukraine made the decision to completely denuclearise in a 1994 agreement known as the Budapest Memorandum. Under it, Ukraine became a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) alongside Belarus and Kazakhstan. In exchange, the US, the UK, and Russia guaranteed Ukraine's security.

What is the Budapest Memorandum?

The Budapest Memorandum is a political agreement between Ukraine, Russia, the UK, and the US. It was signed by the four countries in 1994. Under the Memorandum, Russia, UK, and the US agreed to respect the “independence and sovereignty and existing borders of Ukraine." However, it was only after Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear stockpile. The Memorandum also promised Ukraine that its territorial integrity and political independence will be maintained and the mentioned three countries will not use economic coercion against Ukraine for their own advantage.

Role of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty

Even before the Budapest Memorandum, when Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus signed a protocol in Lisbon in 1992 making them “successor states” of the Soviet Union, they were obligated to join the Nuclear NPT at the earliest. Under the treaty, the nuclear weapons of the three countries were to remain under the control of a “single unified authority." Finally in 1994, after extensive political turmoil with Russia over the former's status, Ukraine committed to full disarmament in exchange for economic compensation and security assurances. Ukraine also agreed to hand over its warheads to Russia in exchange for the commercial value.