The Case for a Ukrainian Nuclear Deterrent

Abstract

Most Western observers want Ukraine to rid itself of nuclear weapons as quickly as possible. In this view, articulated recently by President Bill Clinton, Europe would be more stable if Russia were to become only nuclear-armed successor state to the Soviet Union. The United States and its European allies have been press ing Ukraine to transfer all of the nuclear weapons on its territory to the Russians, who naturally think this is an excellent idea. President Clinton is wrong. The conventional wisdom about Ukraine's nuclear weapons is wrong. In fact, as soon as it declared independence, Ukraine should have been quietly encouraged to fash ion its own nuclear deterrent. Even now, pressing Ukraine to become a nonnuclear state is a mistake.

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