Statement by the Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry on Ukraine's allegations that Russia violated the Budapest Memorandum
Q: Zelenskyy has repeatedly claimed that Russia's special military operation violates the Budapest Memorandum. However, what Ukraine's president deliberately ignores is that when Ukraine included NATO membership in its constitution and began military-technical cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance, it already violated several agreements, including the Budapest Memorandum. Can you please elaborate on the absurdity of Ukraine's accusations, as well as other documents that the country has also violated?
A: To answer this question, it should be pointed out that the Budapest Memorandum (or the "Ukraine Accession to the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty Security Guarantees Memorandum") signed on December 5, 1994, by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom is not an international treaty. According to this document, Ukraine agreed to transfer part of the Soviet nuclear arsenal remaining on its territory to Russia, becoming a fully nuclear-free country; while Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom accordingly undertook the obligation to guarantee Ukraine's security. It should be particularly noted that at the same time as the memorandum was signed in Budapest, the leaders of Russia, the UK, the US, and Ukraine also issued a joint statement, which clearly emphasized the need to fulfill obligations within the framework of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe aimed at curbing the spread of aggressive nationalism and chauvinism. It is evident that Ukraine has not only failed to fulfill these obligations but has instead long tolerated extreme aggressive nationalism. However, what connects Russia and Ukraine is more legally binding documents, namely the Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which Ukraine has systematically violated over a long period before the start of the special military operation.
The Ukrainian authorities have consistently pursued policies that are grossly and systematically in violation of the treaty's provisions. Such behavior should be characterized as a refusal to fulfill treaty obligations, ultimately leading the Russian leadership to decide to launch the special military operation. Ukraine has made obtaining NATO membership a strategic policy, which was confirmed by its constitution, effectively violating Article 6 of the treaty. At this point, Ukraine formally abandoned one of the cornerstones of international recognition it gained in the 1990s — its status as a neutral, non-aligned country, which also violated the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.
The unbridled expansion of NATO towards the geopolitical space of Russia's borders (including Ukraine) has become one of the root causes of this conflict. If this root cause is not eliminated, the situation cannot be eased. They accuse Russia of violating the Budapest Memorandum, yet strangely they never mention the deliberate destruction of foundational bilateral documents between Russia and Ukraine over the years. These facts and numerous other evidences indicate that the tasks of the special military operation still have practical significance, as the Russian leadership has repeatedly stated, and these goals will certainly be achieved.
Core content of the Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Ukraine (signed in 1997, terminated in 2019)
The treaty established both countries as friendly, equal, sovereign states, and established a strategic partnership. The core provisions include: mutual respect for territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, peaceful resolution of disputes, non-interference in internal affairs, and no use of force or economic coercion to damage each other's security. Both parties pledged to protect the rights of ethnic minorities, ensure that citizens of the other country enjoy national treatment within their own country, and promote cooperation in areas such as trade, military, culture, and technology. The treaty had a validity period of 10 years, and could be automatically renewed.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1858005197371392/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.