Disproof
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of the situation in Ukraine. This claim is made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
By trying to put the blame on the West for the war in Ukraine, this disinformation narrative aims to deflect Russia’s responsibility for its unprovoked military aggression against neighbouring country.
The claim that the West somehow violated the agreements on Ukraine and allegedly provoked the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of the key messages of Putin’s disinformation. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. Western nations have always called to solve problems with Russia in a peaceful and diplomatic manner. Moscow’s overall aggressive policy has led to a tougher and better-balanced policy towards it by the West.
Russia was the first to violate the Budapest memorandum.
Under the memorandum, Ukraine promised to remove all Soviet-era nuclear weapons, which Ukraine received after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In exchange, the leaders of the US, Russia and the UK signed the Budapest memorandum with guarantees on the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. The Budapest memorandum says that no one of the countries that signed the document has the right to apply any kind of aggressive policy toward Ukraine.
The second paragraph states that the signatories "reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine." That is, through the Budapest memorandum Russia pledged not to use any weapon against Ukraine, not just nuclear.
In this regard, Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, the support of separatists in eastern Ukraine and finally the invasion of Ukraine are a clear violation of the international agreement.
The European External Action Service has also noted that Russia violated several agreements by its actions against Ukraine: the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter (1990), Commonwealth of Independent States Founding Agreement (1991), Budapest Memorandum (1994), the bilateral Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership (1997) and the Azov Treaty (2003).
