Ukraine’s Invasion Exposed Global Security Failures

Source: The post Ukraine’s Invasion Exposed Global Security Failures has been created, based on the article “Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes: After Ukraine, imperialism is now the norm” published in “Indian Express” on 5th March 2025.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2– International relations-Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context: The article criticizes how the international community handled the Ukraine crisis. It argues that Ukraine’s invasion showed a failure to uphold security guarantees and warns that this may encourage more countries to seek nuclear weapons to protect themselves.

For detailed information on The Russia-Ukraine Conflict read this article here

What was the significance of the Trump-Zelenskyy confrontation?

1. The Trump-Zelenskyy confrontation highlighted U.S. hypocrisy in foreign policy.
2. Trump accused Zelenskyy of risking World War III while respecting Kim Jong Un for his nuclear leverage.
3. In 2018, Trump met Kim in Singapore, seeking to reduce North Korea’s nuclear stockpile in exchange for lifting sanctions.
4. The deal failed as the U.S. offered insufficient sanctions relief for North Korea’s demands.
5. Unlike North Korea, Ukraine lacked nuclear leverage, exposing its vulnerability.
6. The incident portrayed the U.S. as a bully, treating weaker nations unfairly.

How did the invasion of Ukraine change international norms?

1. The invasion of Ukraine was the second instance since World War II where one country tried to erase another entirely, not just over territory or regime change.
2. It challenged the post-1945 norm against territorial conquest, as highlighted by over 150 wars for territory before 1945, which significantly dropped afterward.
3. The invasion exposed the failure of security guarantees given to Ukraine in 1994 when it surrendered its nuclear weapons.
4. This failure undermined trust in international commitments and encouraged nuclear proliferation for self-defense.

What was the impact of Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons?

1. In 1994, Ukraine gave up one of the largest nuclear arsenals, trusting security guarantees from the West and Russia.
2. The invasion by Russia proved these guarantees were hollow, showing a failure of the international community.
3. This event suggests that nations without nuclear weapons risk invasion or coercion.
4. Ukraine’s experience may encourage other small and midsize countries to pursue nuclear weapons for protection.
5. This could lead to increased nuclear proliferation, making the world less stable and secure.

What are the broader implications for global order?

1. Revival of Imperialism: Russia’s attempt to erase Ukraine fully was the second such act since World War II, showing imperialism’s return as a norm.
2. Failure of Security Guarantees: Ukraine’s 1994 decision to disarm, trusting Western and Russian security assurances, was betrayed.
3. Nuclear Proliferation Risk: The invasion’s lesson was that only nuclear-armed states are safe, encouraging other countries to seek nuclear weapons.
4. Hypocrisy in International Order: The West’s response, focusing on power politics over principles, revealed the system’s double standards.
5. Destabilization Risk: Increasing nuclear states could disrupt the global balance of power.

Question for practice:

Evaluate the impact of Ukraine’s decision to give up its nuclear weapons on the credibility of international security guarantees.