On December 5, the Ukrainian Institute for Conservative researches and Innovations initiated a meeting with Yuriy Kostenko, a prominent politician, Minister of Ecology and Nuclear Safety of Ukraine in the 1990s, author of the book “History of Nuclear Disarmament of Ukraine”. The event became a platform for discussing one of the key pages of Ukrainian history and its impact on the present. Yurii Kostenko shared unique insights from the era when Ukraine made a fateful decision regarding the nuclear arsenal left after the collapse of the USSR. The speaker spoke about the complex international negotiations, in particular with the United States and Russia, which he personally led, and the process of ratification of the START 1 Treaty. The meeting raised important questions about the role of faith and values in decision-making at the state level, the relevance of those events for modern Ukraine, and the new challenges facing the country in the context of global instability. The event sparked a lively discussion among the attendees, including politicians, scholars, public figures, representatives of the Ukrainian Conservative Youth and the Conservative Women’s League. Participants emphasized the importance of such meetings, as they allow us to rethink historical experience and set benchmarks for the future. This event was not only a reminder of the strategic challenges that Ukraine has faced, but also a platform for finding answers to questions that are crucial for its independence and security.
