Speaking at a press conference in Brussels following a European Council meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the shortcomings of the Budapest Memorandum as a key argument for Ukraine's NATO aspirations, revealing details of a conversation with former US President Donald Trump.
The Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994, was a diplomatic agreement in which Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for assurances from Russia, the US, and the UK to respect its sovereignty and refrain from aggression.
However, Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion in 2022 violated these commitments, exposing the limitations of diplomatic assurances without enforcement. This breach has fueled Ukraine's pursuit of NATO membership, seeing the alliance's collective defense as essential for its security, given the failure of the memorandum.
Russia, in contrast, views Ukrainian membership in NATO as an existential threat and has cited it as one of the reasons for its aggression, complicating Ukraine's path to NATO accession.
"Which of these big countries, these nuclear powers, has suffered [after Budapest Memorandum]? All of them? No, only Ukraine. Who gave up nuclear weapons? All of them? No, only Ukraine. Who is fighting today? Only Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.
This situation, he argued, leaves Ukraine with two options: either to possess nuclear weapons or to join NATO alliance.
He recounted that Trump's responded acknowledging the "fairness of these arguments."
Zelenskyy pointed out that Budapest agreement, of which Russia was a guarantor, has proven ineffective in protecting Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Earlier, Zelenskyy also claimed that Trump promised to support Ukraine if re-elected, emphasizing a shared interest in achieving "just peace."
Donald Trump, however, emphasized his personal relationships with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
Trump suggested a willingness to broker a deal, even if it means making territorial concessions, which aligns with his past praise for Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's victory plan focuses on reclaiming all occupied territories and securing long-term security through international support, particularly through NATO membership.
He claimed the war would not have occurred under his presidency and has criticized US financial support for Ukraine.