Should states make nuclear weapons or friends? (feat. Mariana Budjeryn)

As of July 2024, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in over 11,100 civilian deaths and at least 21,860 injuries. In a stark warning, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine, a state without its own nuclear arsenal.

But did you know Ukraine once held the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal? In this episode, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center's Dr. Mariana Budjeryn discusses Ukraine's commitment to the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, the treaty that was meant to safeguard the country from military conflicts, and the uncanny resemblance of Ukraine and Taiwan's disarmament history.