Abstract:
When Ukraine becomes independent following the collapse and dissolution of the Soviet Union, the nation which is suddenly Europe's third most populous finds itself almost immediately caught up in high-stakes international diplomacy and negotiations. A significant part of the Soviet Union's former nuclear arsenal, including intercontinental ballistic missiles targeted at the United States, are housed within Ukraine. This case tells the story of the formation and evolution of a newly-independent nation's foreign policy, focusing on Kiev's dawning understanding of the dynamics of diplomatic negotiation, the power of nuclear weapons as bargaining chips, and its emerging sense of the nature of its national interest.
Learning Objective:
The case includes historically-significant interviews with officials from both the Ukraine and U.S., and detailed descriptions of the agreement under which Ukraine scraps its nuclear weapons in exchange for external financial assistance.
