The U.S. regrets that Russia unlike other countries signatories of the Budapest Memorandum failed to fulfill its obligations under the memorandum, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Gottemoeller has said.

Gottemoeller said that they were able to guarantee the security of Ukraine in a different way – through merging and creating a coalition of countries that are now exerting economic pressure in the desired direction, in the form of sanctions so that they should clearly show that if the country fails to meet its obligations in the international system, then it should pay for it.

The under secretary of state expressed her opinion that Russia will pay a very serious price.

In her view, Ukraine's keeping its nuclear weapons in 1994 would not ensure the country's security from Russia claims.

Saying to be an expert in this matter, Gottemoeller said that there would be a permanent crisis over the past 20 years in the area should Ukraine have kept the nukes. The crisis would be not only between Ukraine and Russia, but also in the whole region, as Kazakhstan also had about 1,000 warheads, Belarus had a bit less, she said.