It's a reason but it's not a strong reason. Back then Ukraine was indistinguishable from Russia, basically a small breakaway country from the USSR. So the intent was more likely that the US wouldn't attack Ukraine. Besides which, the nukes in Ukraine were never under Ukraine's control or possession, so the agreement looks to be more for optics than anything.

It's just the US word signed in an agreement. Meaning the US word is now of the same value of Russia.

Saying Ukraine is a "small breakaway country from the USSR", while being the largest country in Europe is one of the most detached takes I've seen on this subject lmao

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

Did you even know the difference between Ukraine and Russia four years ago? Much less 30 years ago. They were considered basically the same country.

Four years ago was seven years after Putin annexed part of Ukraine. This was considered a news story at the time. So it's not as if Ukraine has only been in the news since 2022.

> Did you even know the difference between Ukraine and Russia four years ago?

Yes, ~7 years into the current war, I think a lot of people did.

> Much less 30 years ago.

Yes, I knew the difference, then -- when the breakup of the USSR was relatively recent and the issues in and between post-Soviet states were frequent news items. Again, I think a lot of people did.

Heck, I knew the difference when I was in grade school and both were part of the USSR. There's probably a fair number of people outside the US who have some understanding of the differences between Texas and California, too.

> They were considered basically the same country.

Were considered...by whom?

Who is this average American that can't look at a map?

Because we don't care to anymore. We don't want to be world policeman anymore. Take care of your problems yourself.

You called defending against an invasion with maximalist, genocidal goals nonsense.

The Budapest Memorandum says the US wont invade Ukraine. It is easy to do that from home.

from the wiki, 4th point in the agreement:

> Seek immediate Security Council action to provide assistance to the signatory if they "should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used".

Ukraine was the victim of an act of aggression from Russia. Pretty obvious that the US gave its word it would protect them.

How do you get that. The US sought security council action within days of the war starting.

Nowhere does it say us has to guarantee safety or go to war. Nevermind the fact that threats of nuclear aggression came much later.

> Nevermind the fact that threats of nuclear aggression came much later.

The threats of nuclear aggression were there from the start. What other thing do you think prevents the EU from raining death on the Russians from above.