Ukraine calls on Budapest Memorandum signatories to hold talks
"Russian aggression and the violation of the terms of Ukraine's refusal to use nuclear weapons undermine the international non-proliferation regime and will determine the future of relations with countries that may choose to develop this type of weapons. On November 27, 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in accordance with paragraph 6 of the Memorandum, appealed to the signatories of the Budapest Memorandum with the request to hold urgent consultations to ensure full compliance with commitments and the immediate cessation of Russian aggression against Ukraine," the statement reads.
The ministry noted that Ukraine considers the Budapest Memorandum to be "an important international instrument for ensuring Ukraine's security and demands that Russia fully comply with its commitments."
"Twenty-four years ago, Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees secured by the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the Russian Federation in the Budapest Memorandum in connection with Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). In particular, these states undertook to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine," the ministry said.
The ministry also recalled that the guarantor states had made a commitment that none of their weapons would ever be used against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on December 2 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ignored his request for a phone call regarding an attack on Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov.
On November 25, Russian border ships committed aggressive actions against Ukrainian ships heading from the port of Odesa to the port of Mariupol. They fired on and captured three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait, as well as 24 sailors.
On November 26, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law approving a presidential decree on the introduction of martial law for 30 days in ten regions of Ukraine due to Russian aggression.
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