Assurances of Security and Guarantees of the Security of Ukraine in Conditions of Armed Aggression

Abstract

A reliable guarantee of a safe future for Ukraine and ensuring its right to security is the presence of its own powerful military forces, joining NATO and clear security agreements with strong states.
The article provides a critical analysis of the content of the Budapest Memorandum, security cooperation agreements concluded in pursuance of the 2023 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine by the Group of Seven (G7) countries and other security documents concluded with the participation of Ukraine or Ukraine, regarding the availability of real security guarantees and mechanisms for protecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
In the article, the author concludes that the Budapest Memorandum must be considered a binding international agreement containing certain assurances of security for Ukraine, but not containing an appropriate mechanism for the real protection of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Based on the results of the analysis of the latest agreements and other security documents concluded with the participation of Ukraine or in relation to Ukraine, it has been established that their cross-cutting theme is Ukraine’s clearly defined course towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration, the implementation of which is seen through the implementation of logically combined strategic and tactical tasks.
It has been proven that, firstly, security cooperation agreements concluded by Ukraine with 9 countries (with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Latvia) in pursuance of the Vilnius agreements of 2023, as long-term agreements with clearly defined areas of cooperation in military and non-military, political, financial, humanitarian and other spheres, towards reforms, distribution of obligations and responsibilities between partners, aimed at strengthening support and protection of Ukraine on the path to membership in NATO and the EU; secondly, one of the main points of all agreements is support for Ukraine in the process of gaining full membership in NATO and a clear promise to support Ukraine as long as necessary to restore its territorial integrity and protection from the aggressor.
It is substantiated that these agreements cannot be considered as purely «safe» agreements or «security guarantees» in the understanding of the North Atlantic (Washington) Treaty of 1949, nor are they a substitute for NATO membership.