Has anyone mentioned, just in passing, that if Putin withdrew there would be no motivation for the Ukrainians to even continue fighting. Well, except for revenge.
According to the three memoranda,[6] Russia, the US and the UK confirmed their recognition of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine becoming parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and effectively removing all Soviet nuclear weapons from their soil, and that they agreed to the following:
Respect the signatory's independence and sovereignty in the existing borders (in accordance with the principles of the CSCE Final Act).[7]
Refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of the signatories to the memorandum, and undertake that none of their weapons will ever be used against these countries, except in cases of self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
Refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus and Kazakhstan of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind.
Seek immediate Security Council action to provide assistance to the signatory if they "should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used".
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.[8][9][10]
Consult with one another if questions arise regarding those commitments.[11][12]
If the west wants to prevent nuclear proliferation they have to defend a county that gave up nukes willingly for the promise of defense. Shortsightedness of the western powers will lead to more countries learning from Ukraine’s mistake and hurt us worse than whining of a despot could ever do. It’s not like that big alliance doesn’t have nukes either.
I feel like the West is just doing the bare minimum to support Ukraine. Enough to be able to say "look we did something" but not too much, because maybe some voters won't understand the benefits of spending their taxes on Ukraine.
Ideally no country would have nuclear weapons, but I don't think Russia's call for denuclearisation should be taken with any seriousness whatsoever unless they get rid of their own nukes.
I get what you mean but I used this piece specifically because western media started to downplay Zalensky’s threat of developing nuclear arms as misunderstanding. Putin seem to think it is credible. And I hope it is.
Putin saying something doesn't tell you anything about what he believes.
He took the opportunity to paint Ukraine in a dangerous light, and put out a threat of escalation as well, while also painting Russia in a powerful and rightful way.
although Zelenskiy later clarified that neither a nuclear program “nor anything like that” is part of his plans
They're repeating Russian talking points to a non-thing.
if he hasn't been able to take ukraine in however many years and is having to borrow half ass troops from NK, then wtf is he actually going to do about it? he's arrogant for sure, but not dumb enough to use nukes himself
Well russia broke Budapester Memorandum long ago ( well the West too with this low help ). So yea Ukraine should do it
"The Russian army is becoming not only one of the most technologically advanced" lol which technology? Drones ammunition trucks etc mostly from other countries
Mr Putin currently has a say on whether this own country has nukes. Through his veto power in the UNSC he can meddle to some extent in other countries.
I think this is one case where he really needs to understand how uninvolved and powerless he is.
Can't he do something positive in his remaining years?
We're going to see China / EU / US / Latin America
Russia wants to be their own part of that, but now they are under China. They clearly aren't strong enough to stand on their own if little Ukraine is fighting them to a stand still.
The "coming world order" will be much more complicated.
We are going towards a multipolar world. India is in the mix. South America gets in the mix as the US declines. The Middle East could get in the mix if it wasn't consistently destabilized by the West and Russia.
The EU countries need to free themselves from aligning alongside the US or Russia, establishing the EU as a unified power bloc. Especially as "the West" is very much for sale with Trump and the other US Republicans, but also the US Democrats using Europe as an extension of US interests is weakening it.
It is in the EUs best interest to reestablish Ukraines territorial integrity. As the US lets itself get dragged into another great war in West Asia through Israel, US support for Ukraine will be getting less and pushing for a ceasefire on the basis of handing territory to Russia becomes more likely. Also the US setting West Asia ablaze with Israel will result in a new number of refugees that will dwarf the Syrian civil war and other crisis of the 2010 years.
The West is falling apart as the US declines. But China and Russia also aren't the best buddies and they no longer share the same ideology. Both countries are riddled with internal problems, most notably a huge demographic bomb. Same for the EU, not so much the US yet.
Best thing EU can do is grow together, establish not only a single market, but an united European army and foreign policy. The EU should also develop a mechanism that existing nuclear weapons in the EU, which now only is France, but maybe again UK at some point, become part of a joint European nuclear deterrence.