&gt;  many ex-soviet states (i.e. Ukraine) were stuck with a nuclear arsenal they couldn&#x27;t maintain and didn&#x27;t want.<p>An important side point: Ukraine definitely wanted nuclear weapons, in particular as a viable threat against being re-annexed by Russia.  Ukraine gave them up only after receiving a solemn promise by the US and UK that they would protect Ukraine&#x27;s territorial integrity.<p>&quot;On December 5, 1994 the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Britain and the United States signed a memorandum to provide Ukraine with security assurances in connection with its accession to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state.&quot;<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Nuclear_weapons_and_Ukraine" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Nuclear_weapons_and_Ukraine</a>