Strategic Culture of Ukraine and its Non-Nuclear Status
By Polina Sinovets
Ukraine’s refusal to maintain nuclear status not only clearly demonstrated the main features of Ukraine’s strategic culture, but also signified a defining stage in its development. This was the first attempt of the Ukrainian state to challenge the will of the great powers, and it could help masculinize its strategic culture and it strengthens its self-reliance in security and foreign policy matters. However, in this case, characteristic features of Ukrainian strategic culture defined the scenario, which led to the signing of the Budapest memorandum and the further nuclear disarmament of Kyiv.
To read full chapter of Strategic Culture and Foreign Policy of Ukraine, edited by І. Koval, О. Brusylovska, and V. Dubovyk. Оdesa: Odesa Mechnikov National University Press, 2017.