Zelenskyy says lack of security guarantees under 1994 Budapest Memorandum ‘big mistake’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said security guarantees his country did not obtain under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum were “not a fair game” and a “big mistake.”

In an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast published late Thursday, Zelenskyy argued that any exchange, such as Ukraine giving up nuclear weapons, should have involved “similar things.”

“If you decided to change nuclear weapon, the price had to be fair and I think NATO (membership) is the smallest price ... what the leaders of Ukraine ... had to get instead of nuclear weapon,” Zelenskyy said.

“What we've got, we've got nothing. So it's not (a) fair game and it’s a big mistake,” he added.

He said responsibility lies not only with Ukraine but also with other signatories to the Budapest Memorandum, which he argued could have provided an “umbrella of security.”

The Budapest Memorandum was signed by Ukraine, Russia, the UK, and the US on Dec. 5, 1994, providing security assurances to Ukraine, as well as Belarus and Kazakhstan, in connection with their accession to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

On the future of European security in the event of a potential US withdrawal from NATO, Zelenskyy said the EU would need cooperation with Türkiye, Ukraine, Norway, and the UK.

These are "four strong countries which are part of Europe," Zelenskyy said, arguing that Türkiye, Ukraine, and the UK together form a force stronger than Russia’s.

"Without Ukraine and Türkiye, Europe will not have (a) similar army that Russia has. With Ukraine, Türkiye, Norway, and (the) UK, you will control security on the seas, not (just) one sea.

"And that's why ... (the) EU also has to find a way ... how to involve these four countries and be the strongest union of economy and security," he added.