The Budapest Memorandum and Ukraine’s future: Weapons and Warfare

Sep 24, 2025 at 03:30 AM CDT

Ryan Robertson, Brett Baker

This week, host Ryan Robertson visits Ukraine, to discuss the Budapest Memorandum and its failure to protect Ukraine amid Russian aggression. — Image credit: ZelenskiyOfficial on Telegram

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This week on Weapons and Warfare, host Ryan Robertson visits Lviv, Ukraine, to discuss the Budapest Memorandum and its failure to protect Ukraine amid Russian aggression. Ryan highlights the implications of this diplomatic shortfall and explores potential security guarantees in ensuring sovereignty for Ukraine post-conflict.

Plus, we see how NATO allies and partners are enhancing Ukrainian military leadership through U.K.-led Operation Interflex. Launched in response to Russia’s illegal invasion, the course involves trainers from several NATO countries and partners.

You can subscribe to the Weapons and Warfare podcast on the platform of your choosing here.

Ryan Robertson is the anchor of the Straight Arrow News video podcast Weapons and Warfare. He wore many hats in his career — from photographer to news director — and firmly believes honest journalism will save our Republic.

Brett Baker

Brett Baker is a senior producer at Straight Arrow News, where he oversees the production of Weapons and Warfare. An Air Force veteran with more than 35 years in broadcast journalism, Brett combines his military experience and passion for storytelling to serve SAN's audience.

Tags: NATO, Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine, United Kingdom

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[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM WAS A BUST. NOW UKRAINE IS SEEKING “REAL AND ROBUST” SECURITY GUARANTEES FROM THE U.S. AND THEIR EUROPEAN ALLIES.

TEN WEEKS TO MAKE A LIFETIME OF DIFFERENCE. WE HEAD TO THE FIELD TO SEE HOW UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS ARE RECEIVING LEADERSHIP TRAINING FROM THE UK-LED OPERATION INTERFLEX.

HELLO AND WELCOME TO WEAPONS AND WARFARE. FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M YOUR HOST, RYAN ROBERTSON, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE COME TO YOU FROM INSIDE THE BORDERS OF A COUNTRY AT WAR.

THIS WEEK WE ARE ON THE GROUND AND REPORTING FROM UKRAINE’S SEVENTH LARGEST CITY, LVIV.

HOME TO MORE THAN 700,000 PEOPLE, THIS CITY SERVES AS A MAJOR HUB FOR PEOPLE DISPLACED BY THE FIGHTING AND VOLUNTEERS, DEALING WITH THE HUMAN IMPACT OF THE WAR.

OUR GOAL IS TO PUT A FACE ON THE COUNTLESS HEADLINES THAT GRABBED THE WORLD’S ATTENTION SINCE RUSSIA’S ILLEGAL INVASION MORE THAN THREE YEARS AGO.

AN INVASION THAT WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

IN 1994 LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM, UKRAINE AND RUSSIA SIGNED THE BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM, THE GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE SECURITY ASSURANCES IN EXCHANGE FOR UKRAINE’S AGREEMENT TO THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY AND THE TRANSFER OF ITS SOVIET-ERA NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO RUSSIA.

THE FAILURE OF THAT AGREEMENT, AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS WEEK’S DEBRIEF.

[Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson For Foreign Ministry Of Ukraine]

“I think this is something that even Western analysts often miss about Ukraine, is that we have this experience in the past. And this is why we are so sensitive to words, wordings, language used in the documents.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

31 YEARS AGO, WITH THE WORLD WATCHING, PRESIDENTS BILL CLINTON, BORIS YELTSIN, PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR, AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT LEONID KUCHMA (LEE-uh-nid Kootch-mah) SIGNED THE BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM.

THE FAILURE OF THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN ON DISPLAY SINCE RUSSIA’S ILLEGAL ANNEXATION OF CRIMEA IN 2014, AND ITS LARGE-SCALE INVASION IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.

[Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson For Foreign Ministry Of Ukraine]

“Its name, the Budapest Memorandum, has become synonymous to a failed document or a failed security guarantee. And if you look closely at the text that you filmed today, you will see that even the word guarantees is not there. There are security assurances.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON HEORHII TYKHYI (He-orry tih-hee ) SAYS NOW THE MEMORANDUM IS BEING USED AS A CAUTIONARY EXAMPLE TO ENSURE UKRAINE DOESN’T REPEAT PAST MISTAKES.

UNDER THE AGREEMENT, UKRAINE RELINQUISHED THE NUCLEAR ARSENAL IT INHERITED FROM THE SOVIET UNION IN EXCHANGE FOR SECURITY ASSURANCES FROM RUSSIA, THE UNITED STATES, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE LEADERS OF THOSE RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES PLEDGED TO RESPECT UKRAINE’S INDEPENDENCE, SOVEREIGNTY, AND BORDERS, COMMITMENTS RUSSIA CLEARLY VIOLATED.

[Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson For Foreign Ministry Of Ukraine]

“So Ukraine, unfortunately, has this very bitter experience, very bitter past when it comes to security guarantees and negotiations on that and documents proving them.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

TYKHYI ADDS KYIV IS NOW EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS ABOUT THE LANGUAGE USED IN ANY FUTURE AGREEMENTS..

[Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson For Foreign Ministry Of Ukraine]

“That is why today Ukraine’s line is very clear and President Zelenskiy was reiterating it in Washington D.C. that Ukraine needs real security guarantees, which are robust, which are really effective, which are working, which are not assurances. They are real security guarantees. And obviously, we don’t need Budapest number two.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

TYKHYI ALSO EMPHASIZES THAT THE NATURE OF COOPERATION FUNDAMENTALLY SHIFTED: UKRAINE IS NO LONGER MERELY SEEKING SECURITY GUARANTEES, IT IS ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTING TO EUROPEAN SECURITY.

[Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson For Foreign Ministry Of Ukraine]

“This is a two-way street. So Ukraine is providing a lot of security to Europe. We’re holding back NATO’s primary adversary, aggressive Russia. Ukraine is currently holding it back, the Ukrainian army. And we are very, I would say, realistic today. I think there is much more realism today in Ukraine than there was in 1990s. And we clearly understand that our own army is our main security guarantee.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

SO, THREE DECADES ON, UKRAINE IS ONCE AGAIN NEGOTIATING ITS FUTURE WITH WESTERN PARTNERS AMID ONGOING RUSSIAN AGGRESSION, AS THE DECISIONS AND COMPROMISES MADE IN THE 1990s CONTINUE TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ITS DESIRE FOR LASTING SECURITY.

ASK ANYONE WHO’S EVER SERVED AND THEY’LL TELL YOU, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS CRUCIAL IF YOU WANT AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SUCCESS FLOURISHES. EACH BRANCH OF THE MILITARY SPENDS MILLIONS ON THE CONTINUING EDUCATION OF ITS SOLDIERS, SAILORS, MARINES, AIRMEN, AND GUARDIANS.

EVEN IN TIMES OF CONFLICT, TRAINING IS A CRITICAL FACTOR IN WINNING ANY BATTLE. THAT’S WHY UKRAINE IS LEANING ON ITS NATO ALLIES TO MAKE SURE ITS SOLDIERS ARE BETTER ABLE TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THEIR RUSSIAN ADVERSARIES.

THAT’S WHY OPERATION INTERFLEX IS OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK.

[Multiple unknown speakers, gunshots]

“soldiers calling out, shots fired, big bang”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

FROM CLEARING TRENCHES AND PROVIDING COVER FIRE, TO LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, THESE UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS ARE PREPARING FOR A FIGHT THAT’S NEARLY 2,000 MILES AWAY.

[Ukrainian Soldier]

“We have to do this so that the enemy doesn’t go on to invade other countries and wreak havoc, as they are currently doing on our territory.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

LEANING ON THE EXPERIENCE OF NATO ALLIES AND PARTNERS THEY ARE TRAINING FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES ON THE FRONTLINES.

THROUGH THE UK-LED OPERATION INTERFLEX, THEY ARE IMMERSED IN A 10-WEEK PLATOON COMMANDER COURSE. THE FOCUS IS ON TEACHING THEM THE BEST TACTICS AND STRATEGIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RUSSIAN WEAKNESSES ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

[Lieutenant Willet, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, Platoon Commanders Battle Course Training Team]

“I’m with the training team running the Platoon Commanders Battle Course, so training Ukrainian junior officers and junior leaders. So they’ll be mostly going back to Ukraine and running platoons of about 30 soldiers, mostly working in small teams, from a variety of different cap badges. So infantry, artillery, logistics, all different kinds. We’re mainly training them in leadership and planning.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

OPERATION INTERFLEX IS AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM OF COURSES TAKING PLACE ACROSS VARIOUS UNDISCLOSED LOCATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

[Lieutenant Willet, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, Platoon Commanders Battle Course Training Team]

“So our approach with our course is very much a two-way thing. We’re trying to learn as much as we can from their experiences on the battlefield. And at the same time, what we’re trying to teach them is not necessarily how you do an individual drill, how you conduct a specific attack. We’re trying to teach them more processes, how to conduct planning, how to analyse a situation, and how to apply your force to that particular problem.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

INTERFLEX STARTED IN RESPONSE TO RUSSIA’S FULL-SCALE INVASION OF UKRAINE IN 2022. THE COURSE HAS TRAINERS FROM NATO ALLIES ALBANIA, DENMARK, ESTONIA, FINLAND, LITHUANIA, ROMANIA, SWEDEN, THE UNITED KINGDOM. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN INTERFLEX, AS NATO PARTNERS.

[Lieutenant Willet, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, Platoon Commanders Battle Course Training Team]

“We’re not trying to tell them that, you know, our way of doing things or our way of planning things is the only way and we very much try to get as many of the answers from them as we can. But its, yeah, we very much see it as an exchange.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

FOR THE UKRAINIANS, THIS EXPERIENCE IS ABOUT MORE THAN THE FIGHTING WAITING FOR THEM BACK HOME.

[Ukrainian Soldier]

“The loss of my comrades-in-arms is not the only thing that drives me. I’m also motivated to keep my country free, to keep my children, my grandchildren, I have four of them, to keep them alive without war, so that they never know what war is.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

TO DATE, NEARLY 60,000 UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS HAVE TAKEN PART IN OPERATION INTERFLEX SINCE IT BEGAN IN JULY OF 2022. A NUMBER THAT REPRESENTS A POINT OF PRIDE FOR THE TROOPS LEADING THE TRAINING.

[Major Cussins, Officer Commanding The Handling And Processing Centre]

“So there’s probably quite a sense of pride and a little bit of privilege to be part, albeit just a very small part, of a huge operation which is hopefully making a difference.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

ON UKRAINE’S INDEPENDENCE DAY, AUGUST 24TH, THE UK ANNOUNCED OPERATION INTERFLEX WILL CONTINUE UNTIL ‘AT LEAST THE END OF 2026’, REAFFIRMING ITS COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING UKRAINE’S DEFENSE.

ALRIGHT FOLKS–FOR MY WRAP THIS WEEK–I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME ON WHY WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO COME TO UKRAINE.

FIRST OFF–WE WERE INVITED TO COVER THE DEFENSE TECH VALLEY 2025 SUMMIT AND EXPOSITION TAKING PLACE HERE IN LVIV. IT’S AN IMPORTANT EVENT FOR UKRAINE TO SHOWCASE THE TECHNOLOGIES IT’S DEVELOPING AND TEACH OTHER COUNTRIES HOW TO DO THE SAME–WHILE ALSO ATTRACTING NEW INVESTMENTS.

AND WITH NATO SPENDING LIMITS UPPED TO 5% OF GDP–COUPLED WITH RUSSIA’S RECENT DRONE INCURSION INTO POLAND–

THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF EUROPEAN DECISION-MAKERS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE EVENT.

BEYOND THAT EXPO THOUGH–WE WANTED TO HELP SHARE THE STORIES AND INSIGHTS FROM THIS CITY.

IT’S A PLACE FAR FROM THE FRONTLINES–BUT NOT IMMUNE FROM THE WAR’S IMPACTS.

LVIV IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PLACE FOR UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS LOOKING TO HEAL AND REINTEGRATE BACK INTO SOCIETY AFTER THEIR TIME FIGHTING RUSSIA.

IT’S ALSO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FLEEING THE WAR CAN GO TO FIND SAFETY AND COMFORT…AND THE STRENGTH TO CARRY DESPITE MOSCOW’S EFFORTS TO KILL THE HOPE AND SPIRIT OF THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE.

SO, WE ARE HERE TO TELL THOSE STORIES, TO PROVIDE MORE INSIGHTS INTO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN UKRAINE AFTER 3 AND A HALF YEARS OF WAR–AND SHARE THOSE LESSONS WITH YOU…

AND THAT’S GOING TO DO IT FOR US THIS WEEK ON WEAPONS AND WARFARE… AS ALWAYS, IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SAW AND OR HEARD–PLEASE LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS–AND DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.

WE’LL BE ROLLING OUT THE STORIES WE GATHERED HERE IN UKRAINE IN THE WEEKS AHEAD–AND YOU CAN FOLLOW ALL THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE APP.

UNTIL NEXT TIME–FOR SENIOR PRODUCER BRETT BAKER, VIDEO EDITOR BRIAN SPENCER, MOTION DESIGNER DAKOTA PITEO AND PHOTOGRAPHER SAM BEATTIE–

I’M RYAN ROBERTSON WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS–SIGNING OFF.

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