US nuclear non-proliferation policy and Ukraine

Oleksandr Potiekhin, Dr. Habil in History, Major Researcher, Institute of World History, National Academy of Sciences, Kyiv, Ukraine.

Abstract

The article deals with some aspects of US policy in the sphere of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and Washington’s influence on the processes denuclearization Ukraine in 1992-1996. In particular, presented the goal of the United States to implement the principle of control over the nuclear weapons of the former USSR and persuade former Soviet republics to become a nuclear-free states, joining the Proliferation of nuclear weapons. In the article are two basic positions of official Washington on nuclear disarmament, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan, one of which was intended to balance the nuclear potential of Russia so that neighboring countries have the right to maintain its nuclear potential, and another idea was in fact to concentrate all Soviet nuclear capability within one country – namely, Russia. Violation of “guarantees” Budapest Memorandum and the lack of capacity to curb Russian aggression nuclear-free Ukraine are analyzed. The paper presents the opinion of the first US Ambassador to Ukraine Robert Popadyuk inefficiency and lack of thought on key provisions of the Budapest Memorandum. It has been suggested that the refusal of Ukraine of nuclear weapons and the signing of non-use and non-proliferation, our country really has not been any concrete and practical guarantees of territorial integrity and security guarantees from the state, which had to ensure the security of Ukraine. Which resulted in the annexation of the Crimea and the armed aggression of Russia against Ukraine. Showing detrimental aggression of Russia against Ukraine for the fate of the NPT and the prospects for nuclear disarmament. Attention is focused on the need for military and political assistance to Ukraine from the United States.

Full text
PDF

Keywords: USA, Ukraine, the Russian-Ukrainian war, denuclearization, NPT, international security

References

  1. BILIAK T. Mіzhnarodno-pravova otsіnka tekstu Budapeshtskoho memorandumu 1994 roku (chastyna 1). [Online]. – Avaliable from: http://iac.org.ua/mizhnarodno-pravova-otsinka-tekstu-budapeshtskogo-memorandumu-1994-r-chastina-1/; BILIAK T. Mіzhnarodno-pravova otsіnka tekstu Budapeshtskoho memorandumu 1994 roku (chastyna 2). [Online]. – Avaliable from: http://iac.org.ua/mizhnarodno-pravova-otsinka-tekstu-budapeshtskogo-memorandumu-1994-r-chastina-2/
  2. VASYLENKO V. (2014) Shchob Ukraina stala suverennoiu derzhavoiu, a yi nezalezhnyi status vyznav uves svіt, bulo potrіbno pozbutys yadernoi zbroi. Ukrainskyi Tyzhden. 335(15).
  3. GOLDGEJR D., MAKFOL M. (2009) Cel’ i sredstva. Politika SShA v otnoshenii Rossii posle «holodnoj vojny». Moskva: Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija.
  4. GORBULIN V. (2009) Bez prava na pokajanie. Har’kov: Folio.
  5. GORBULIN V. Vіis’kovo-yadernyi tupyk: Ukrainskyi varіant. Dzerkalo tizhnja. 2015.13.03. [Online]. – Avaliable from: http://gazeta.dt.ua/internal/viyskovo-yaderniy-tupik-ukrayinskiy-variant-_.html
  6. ZADOROZHNYI O. (2015) Porushennia ahresyvnoiu vіinoiu Rosіiskoi Federatsіi proty Ukrainy osnovnykh pryntsypіv mіzhnarodnoho prava. Kyiv: K.І.S.
  7. KUROPIATNYK O. (2015) Eskalatsіia yadernoho protistoiannia SShA ta Rosіi u kontekstі rosіisko-Ukrainskoi vіiny. Dopovіd. June. Kyiv: Maidan zakordonnykh sprav. [Online]. – Avaliable from: http://www.slideshare.net/MFAUA/ss-49825586
  8. LOSSOVSKYI І. (2015) Mіzhnarodno-pravovyi status Budapeshtskoho memorandumu: dohovіr, oboviazkovyi dlia vykonannia vsіma yoho storonamy. Kyiv: UAZP.
  9. POTIEKHIN O., TODOROV I. (2011) Hlobalіzatsіia bezpeky. Donetsk: Noulіdzh.
  10. POTIEKHIN O., TODOROV I. (2012) Mala entsyklopedіia mіzhnarodnoi bezpeky. Kyiv: Vidavnytstvo Yevropeiskoho universytetu.
  11. Pro denonsatsіiu Dohovoru pro nerozpovsiudzhennia yadernoi zbroi vіd 1 lypnia 1968 roku: Proekt Zakonu Ukrainy № 0076 vіd 20 bereznja 2014 roku. [Online]. – Avaliable from: http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=50334
  12. SVIATUN O., SVIATUN O. (2014) Budapeshtskyi memorandum ta yoho spіvvіdnoshennia z Dohovorom pro nerozpovsiudzhennia yadernoi zbroi. Vіche. 20. [Online]. – Avaliable from: http://www.viche.info/journal/4405/
  13. UMLAND A. (2015) Demonstratyvnyj kollaboracionizm: kak Kitaj i francuzskie pravye podryvajut rezhim nerasprostranenija jadernogo oruzhija. Kontinent. 4. [Online]. – Avaliable from: http://continent.de/authors/umland/public-01-11-2015.html
  14. CHUMAK V. (1999) Yaderna stratehіia SShA: vіd perevershennia do nerozpovsiudzhennia. Kyiv: NІSD.
  15. BURNS R., COYLE PH. (2015) The Challenges of Nuclear Non-Proliferation. Lanham MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
  16. CARLSON J., HOOTON P., PAGE J. (2013) Nuclear Weapons: The State of Play. Canberra: Paragon.
  17. EVANS G., KAWAGUCHI Y. (2009) Eliminating Nuclear Threats. A Practical Agenda for Global Policymakers. Report of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. Canberra: Paragon.
  18. GALAKA S. (2015) Ukrainian Crisis and Budapest Memorandum: consequences for the European and Global Security Structures. UA: UKRAINIAN ANALYTICA. 1. pp. 45-51.
  19. POPADIUK R. (1966) American-Ukrainian Relations. McNair Paper 55. Institute for National Strategic Studies. Washington, DC: National Defense University.
  20. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George Bush. Book Two, 1992–1993. Washington: GPO. 1993. 2370 p.
  21. MILLER S. (1995) Russia and Nuclear Weapons. In: G. Quester ed. The Nuclear Challenge in Russia and the New States of Eurasia. Armonk, New York: Sharps. pp. 89-100.
  22. QUESTER G. (2000) Nuclear Monopoly. New Brunswick NJ: Transaction Publ.
  23. QUESTER G. (2015) Nuclear Zero? Lessons from the Last Time We Were There. New Brunswick NJ: Transaction Publ.
  24. RITCHIE N. (2009) US Nuclear Weapons Policy after the Cold War: Russians, ‘Rogues’ and Domestic Division. New York: Routledge.

DOI http://doi.org/10.17721/2521-1706.2016.01.100-108