Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, U.S. presidents of both major political parties have had their fair share of setbacks, failures, …
Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, U.S. presidents of both major political parties have had their fair share of setbacks, failures, and outright disasters in foreign policy. But few, if any, have been quite as stark as Democrats’ mishandling of the situation in Ukraine. After decades of abuse at the hands of brutal Soviet regimes, Ukraine now stands on the brink of war with Russia, and for the time being, it seems no one is coming to its rescue. Although the relationship and history between Russia and Ukraine are complex, the failure of Democratic presidents’ leadership, as well as their contributions to the current crisis, couldn’t be clearer. In 1992, Ukraine signed the Lisbon Protocol, agreeing to return the nuclear weapons it had inherited from the Soviet government back to Russia. But members of the Ukrainian parliament soon thereafter increasingly voiced serious concerns over total nuclear disarmament, in large part due to fears of a future conflict with Russia. Throughout 1992 and 1993, Russia and the Clinton White House worked furiously to convince Ukraine to give up all of its nuclear weapons. After substantial political pressure, Ukraine caved in 1994, but only after the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom agreed to protect Ukraine in the event of a future attack on the nation’s sovereignty, as well as financial support and a number of other assurances. Ukraine dismantled and relinquished its nuclear weapons, giving President Clinton and the Russians a diplomatic victory. The decision has haunted Ukraine ever since. The most critical part of Ukraine’s 1994 agreement to disarm was the pledge by the United States, Russia, and United Kingdom to protect Ukraine against unwarranted aggression.
