Richard Branson reminded the world of Russia's violations of the Budapest Memorandum.

Richard Branson: Russia's violations of the Budapest Memorandum threaten global security

The founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson, highlighted Russia's violations of the Budapest Memorandum and its consequences for global security. In his blog on Virgin.com, he recalled the 1994 agreement, in which Russia pledged to respect the sovereignty, independence, and borders of Ukraine in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons.

(1/3) “Give up your nuclear weapons (to us) and in return, we will guarantee to respect your sovereignty, your independence, and your borders.” So said #Russia to #Ukraine in 1994. — Richard Branson (@richardbranson) November 22, 2024

Branson emphasized that Russia violated the memorandum by annexing Crimea in 2014. He also noted that without nuclear weapons, Putin attempted to expand his territory, ignoring his obligations to the Ukrainian people and the world.

The founder of Virgin Group pointed out that violations of the Budapest Memorandum affect not only Ukraine but also international institutions and their work on negotiations and disarmament. He questioned the future of nuclear weapons and the possibility of deterring aggression in the world.

Branson urged to recognize the importance of adhering to agreements and obligations between states to avoid anarchy and threats to global security.