Pardee School Hosts Inaugural Global Security Speaker Series Lecture

The Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University recently kicked off its new Global Security Speaker Series with a lecture by Mariana Budjeryn on the history and relevance of Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament.
Budjeryn, a senior research associate with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Project on Managing the Atom, delivered a talk titled “Inheriting the Bomb: A History of Ukraine’s Nuclear Disarmament and Why It Matters” on Thursday, April 11. The event was moderated by Sanne Verschuren, Assistant Professor of International Security at the Pardee School.
The lecture revisited Ukraine’s 1990s decision to surrender its inherited nuclear arsenal and join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Budjeryn explored the factors influencing this disarmament choice after the Soviet Union’s dissolution.
She highlighted Ukraine’s significant nuclear capabilities at the time and the international context, including nuclear norms and institutions, that shaped Ukraine’s path. Budjeryn also analyzed the 1994 Budapest Memorandum providing security assurances to Ukraine.
The talk launched the Global Security Speaker Series, aiming to convene scholars and practitioners on global security issues while highlighting the Pardee School’s regional expertise. It was the inaugural event co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Europe’s “Europe in the World” series fostering discussions on European security integration.
Budjeryn’s analysis provided historical context for understanding current global security challenges. The series continues May 2nd with Omar Batiste discussing the “Pacification of Madagascar.”
The full lecture can be accessed via YouTube here.
Sanne Cornelia J. Verschuren, Assistant Professor of International Security at the Pardee School of Global Studies of Boston University, specializes in international relations and security policy. Her research, recognized with APSA’s 2022 Kenneth N. Waltz Outstanding Dissertation Award, explores states’ decisions in developing and abandoning weapon technologies. With extensive postdoctoral experience, her work has been supported by prestigious institutions. Professor Verschuren’s expertise includes international security, military technology development, and the intersection of national security with climate change. Read more about Sanne Verschuren on her faculty profile.