Ukrainian Nuclear Disarmament: 1990-2013

• Author / Creator

  Vincent, Jordan MA

• With the fall of the USSR in 1991, Ukraine inherited the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Though it had promised to relinquish this arsenal, important territorial disputes with the Russian Federation, mainly - though not exclusively - over Sevastopol and its naval base for the Black Sea Fleet, prompted the divided Ukrainian parliament to delay and amend treaties and agreements that would force Ukraine to give up its nuclear stockpile. Negotiations with Russia ran into difficulties, and this stalemate prompted American intervention. By tying Ukrainian disarmament to economic aid, Ukrainian leaders received compensation for their nuclear warheads. This was of double importance given Ukraine’s imploding economic situation. After protracted negotiations, Ukraine agreed to the removal of its nuclear warheads in 1994, in agreement with both Russia and the United States. Monitoring has continued to the present to ensure that Ukraine does not export nuclear materials or technologies.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Arms Control
  • Nuclear Disarmament
  • Ukraine

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Arts

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3RM31

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.