Bangladesh, Jan. 6 -- Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has once again lamented Ukraines lack of nuclear weapons, arguing that their absence leaves the country vulnerable to Russian aggression. In a candid interview with US podcaster Lex Fridman on January 5, Zelensky aired his frustrations over what he perceives as the failure of Western security guarantors to uphold their commitments to Ukraine under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. His remarks have reignited debates over nuclear disarmament, security guarantees, and the role of Western allies in Ukraines ongoing conflict with Russia.

The Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, signed in 1994, was a pivotal agreement in the post-Cold War era. It saw Ukraine relinquish its inherite...