German defence minister: Security guarantees for Ukraine must not become another Budapest Memorandum

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has stressed that future security guarantees for Ukraine must not repeat the fate of the Budapest Memorandum.

Source: Pistorius on Saturday during his speech at the Munich Security Conference, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Pistorius noted that as the potential ceasefire approaches, it will be necessary to ensure that any peace is lasting.

"We will have to protect Ukraine from any potential future aggression by Russia. For this major task, Ukraine needs substantial and reliable security guarantees," the German defence minister emphasised.

He recalled remarks made by Marco Rubio in the US Senate in 2014, when Rubio pointed out that the 1994 Budapest Memorandum had failed to fulfil its purpose and did not protect Ukraine, as Russia invaded and annexed Crimea.

"So the lesson for us, ladies and gentlemen, must be that we must not allow another 'paper tiger' like the Budapest Memorandum. And in order to provide credible security guarantees, all of us – all of us, both Europe and the United States – must contribute. Europe and Germany are ready to do their part," Pistorius said.

Background:

• During a panel discussion earlier on Saturday, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed scepticism about Russia's willingness to engage in genuine negotiations and warned the West against misjudging Moscow's intentions.
• Mark Rutte, during a visit to Kyiv, stressed that Ukraine's partners, just like Ukrainians themselves, "would not want a second Budapest Memorandum or another 'Minsk'."

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