US and Ukrainian Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskyy have signed an agreement between the two countries on security cooperation. It is designed for 10 years. The ceremony took place on the margins of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy. Zelenskyy was invited to the meeting of leaders of seven leading democratic countries of the world, where, among other things, the support of Ukraine in the war with Russia was discussed.
As Reuters notes, the text of the agreement explicitly mentions that the document is intended, among other things, to help Ukraine move toward NATO membership.
The document does not contain a commitment to provide military support to Ukraine in case of aggression against it, as the North Atlantic Treaty stipulates. In case of aggression or its threat, a mechanism for consultations within a 24-hour period is envisaged to determine what measures can be taken to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
The agreement also reaffirms the US commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States pledges to help Ukraine with long-term supplies of weapons, training of its troops and advice.
The Washington Post recalls that since the agreement does not provide for congressional approval, it can be canceled at any time by any next US president.
Speaking after the signing of the agreement, Joe Biden said that achieving peace in Ukraine was conditional on its ability to defend itself against aggression, and peace itself should be based on the principles of sovereignty and respect for the UN charter. According to Biden, the G7 countries remain committed to supporting Ukraine and the decisions of the summit in Italy will lay a solid foundation for Ukraine’s success.
Biden said that the US position on the possibility of strikes with long-range missiles on Russian territory has not changed (the US is against such strikes), and also emphasized that the agreement does not provide for the possibility of sending the US military to Ukraine.
For his part, Zelenskyy called today “historic”, noting that the agreement reached with the USA is the most important bilateral agreement concluded since Ukraine gained independence.
Zelensyky also reiterated his call for seven more Patriot air defense systems to be provided to Ukraine. Biden responded by saying that additional air defense systems would be delivered to Ukraine as soon as possible. He did not say how many there would be.
Biden also criticized China, saying that it supports Russia by supplying materials and equipment. Zelenskyy noted that Chinese leader Xi Jinping told him that Beijing would not supply Russia with weapons.
Kyiv had earlier made similar agreements with about a dozen other countries, mostly NATO members. On Thursday, a similar agreement was signed with Japan in Italy. Ukraine emphasizes that despite the importance of these documents, they cannot serve as a substitute for membership in the North Atlantic Alliance.
