Ducci, Eleonora (2025) After the Cold War – the United States, Russia and Ukraine Trilateral Partnership from Non-Proliferation to Missile Conversion for Space Purposes. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

This dissertation examines the trilateral cooperation between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine in the aftermath of the Cold War, focusing on the intersection of nuclear non-proliferation, missile conversion, and space collaboration from 1989 to the late 1990s. It explores how diplomatic efforts, economic pragmatism, and technological innovation shaped a unique post-Soviet international order. In particular, it investigates how Ukraine, a newly independent state with inherited Soviet military-industrial assets, notably nuclear weapons, navigated pressures from Russia and the United States to denuclearize while maintaining economic sovereignty and technological relevance. The study traces the political and diplomatic processes that led to Ukraine’s denuclearization, culminating in the 1994 Trilateral Statement and the Budapest Memorandum. It highlights how the United States used technological collaboration as a tool of “soft power” to align Ukraine’s missile capabilities with civilian applications, notably in the commercial space sector. The Sea Launch project serves as a central case study, showcasing how former Cold War adversaries repurposed missile technology for peaceful space exploration and commercial benefit. This initiative brought together American aerospace companies, Ukrainian rocket expertise, and Russian technical support under a joint venture model. This dissertation contributes to Cold War and post-Cold War historiography by providing a nuanced analysis of how dual-use technologies became platforms for both cooperation and contestation.

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