P.K. Smit

American Betrayal of Ukraine, 1990–2026 The concept of an "American betrayal" or "treachery" against Ukraine during the period 1990–2026 is a frequently discussed topic in geopolitics. It primarily refers to the perception that the United States has prioritized its own strategic interests over Ukraine’s security, failed to uphold the political commitments made in the Budapest Memorandum, and repeatedly delayed or curtailed vital military support. 1. The Budapest Memorandum (1994): The Broken Guarantee Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine possessed the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal. The United States exerted immense diplomatic and economic pressure on Kyiv to relinquish these weapons. The Agreement: In 1994, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum. Ukraine surrendered its nuclear weapons in exchange for the great powers’ commitment to respect Ukraine’s borders and sovereignty. The Accusation of Betrayal: The United States deliberately insisted on using the term "assurances" rather than "guarantees," in order to avoid a legally binding obligation to intervene militarily. When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, many dismissed the agreement as worthless, and Ukrainian leaders later stated that they felt deceived. 2. The Full-Scale Invasion and the “Drip-Feeding” of Weapons (2022–2024) Although the Biden administration provided significant economic and military support following Russia’s invasion in 2022, the U.S. strategy faced harsh criticism for being driven by a fear of escalation with Russia, a nuclear-armed power. Political Delays: In the autumn of 2023 and the spring of 2024, internal partisan infighting within the U.S. Congress blocked a major aid package for more than six months. This led to an acute shortage of ammunition on the Ukrainian front and the loss of territory. Restrictions: For a long time, the U.S. refused to provide advanced weaponry (such as Patriot systems, F-16s, and long-range ATACMS missiles) and imposed strict limitations on the use of American-supplied arms against targets inside Russia. Ukrainian critics viewed this as the U.S. forcing Ukraine to fight “with one hand tied behind its back.” 3. The Trump Administration and the Brutal Shift in Policy (2025–2026) Following Donald Trump’s inauguration for his second presidential term in January 2025, the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine has reached a historic low. The debate surrounding an outright American betrayal has intensified: The American Counterargument: From an official U.S. perspective - particularly under the “America First” doctrine - the notion of betrayal is rejected. Proponents of realpolitic in the United States argue that the country never had a formal defense pact (such as NATO’s Article 5) with Ukraine. They maintain that the US has spent over one hundred billion dollars on Ukraine’s defense, but that core American interests lie in avoiding a direct Third World War with Russia, as well as shifting the economic burden onto Europe. --- Every president since 9/11/2001 has broken their alliance with their allies - while simultaneously demanding support and backup for their own wars and attacks. Ukraine stood with the U.S. in Iraq x2 and Afghanistan x1, and provided cleanup and assistance in America following 9/11/2001 -> Total 30 years of support/help/aid. Ukraine stood with the USA - Carlifornia Ukraine stood with the United States during the 2024 California wildfires. In 2025, Ukraine again offered assistance to California regarding the wildfires. donald trump REJECTED the help --- SHAME ON USA