The concept of state nuclear sovereignty in the context of globalization

The article examines the concept of nuclear sovereignty as a component of state sovereignty, a specific element of the legal system, and a new dimension of sovereign rights in the context of globalization and the intensification of international conflicts. Particular attention is given to the contemporary challenges facing Ukraine in connection with the ongoing armed aggression of the russian federation and the ineffectiveness of international security guarantees, in particular the provisions of the Budapest Memorandum. Using Ukraine as a case study, the article highlights the significance of “nuclear sovereignty,” the consequences of renouncing it and the resulting losses, as well as the grounds for reconsidering Ukraine’s policy on nuclear disarmament. The possibility of restoring “nuclear status” through a declarative proclamation of “nuclear sovereignty,” even without the immediate reconstruction of an arsenal, is analyzed. Such a step could strengthen Ukraine’s international position, provide additional political leverage, and create a new framework of security guarantees. The article considers fundamental theoretical approaches to understanding state and military sovereignty, as well as the place of a state’s sovereign right to nuclear status. Nuclear weapons are viewed not only as instruments of armed confrontation, which, despite their inconsistency with humanitarian law and moral principles, remain a factor of international politics, granting members of the “nuclear club” a special status and additional guarantees of sovereignty. It is argued that “nuclear sovereignty” can be regarded as an independent element of state sovereignty that enhances strategic autonomy, international subjectivity, and deterrence capacity. The position of the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons use is taken into account, along with the provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, as well as the de facto inequality between states divided into the “nuclear club” and the rest of the international community. The conclusion is drawn that “nuclear status” should be regarded not only as a military, but also as a political and strategic category, which, as a distinct element of state sovereignty, can significantly influence the architecture of international security and determine the future of Ukraine as a sovereign state.