On December 5, 1994, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Russian Federation signed the Memorandum on Security Assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (Budapest Memorandum).

On the background of the collapse of the USSR and global threats for security and non-proliferation regime, related to the significant nuclear potential of the USSR, Ukraine has made a unique contribution to global nuclear disarmament and stability.

Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the provisions of the Budapest memorandum. In connection with Ukraine's refusal from nuclear weapons, in Article 2 Russia has undertook the obligation to refrain from the threat of force or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine and assumed international legal obligations that none of its weapons would ever be used against Ukraine.

Such internationally wrongful act of Russia as a nuclear-weapon state poses a threat to the nuclear non-proliferation regime as a whole, which is particularly acute on the background of nuclear blackmail and provocation by the DPRK.

The provision of security guarantees to Ukraine by nuclear states through signing of the relevant international legal instrument, that is the Budapest memorandum, was a precondition for the Ukrainian parliament to give its consent to Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of July 1, 1968. Ukraine considered and continues to consider such guarantees as a prerequisite, which constituted an essential reason for Ukraine's accession to the Treaty.

Ukraine highly appreciates the actions of the United States, Great Britain and France, which provide real support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, condemn the illegal actions of the Russian side, take measures in response to the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. We are convinced that the strengthening of political support through practical assistance towards enhancing Ukraine's defense capabilities by provision of lethal weapons should become an effective response to the growing security threats from the Russian Federation. This will testify to the complete adherence of the signatories of the Budapest Memorandum to the commitments undertaken by them and will strengthen the architecture of the European security, of which the Memorandum is an integral part.

Ukraine continues to consider the Budapest Memorandum as an important international legal instrument for ensuring Ukraine's security by the United States, Great Britain, France and the People’s Republic of China, and demands that Russia should fully comply with its commitments.