2023-07-11 10:34:36
Some of the Group of Seven (G7) countries are close to agreeing to enter into bilateral security-commitment negotiations with Ukraine. A person familiar with the matter said. The bilateral commitments are intended to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and prevent future Russian aggression.
According to people familiar with the matter, the content is expected to be included in a declaration to be announced by G7 leaders at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The declaration, which aims to provide long-term security for Ukraine and is expected to include most of the G7, is still under discussion and may change in terms of content and participants before it is announced.
The United States and other participating states will each commit to concrete long-term security arrangements for Ukraine through the provision of modern military equipment for land, sea and air. Air defense systems and ammunition, long-range ammunition and armored vehicles will be prioritized for the equipment to be provided, officials said. The officials requested anonymity because the talks are private.
Ukrainian donors will also promote interoperability between Ukrainian and NATO forces, the official said. It will support the development of the Ukrainian defense industry, train soldiers, share information and strengthen cyber defense.
The security pledges, which largely mirror the assistance Ukraine receives today, are meant to be scaled up and help build a sustainable foundation for Ukraine to deter future attacks.
The G7 leaders also intend to commit to immediately discussing a response with Ukraine in the event of a future Russian attack, one of the people said. For the time being, we will continue to provide financial assistance to Ukraine to support its reconstruction efforts.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is committed to continuing a series of reforms in the security and defense sectors, law enforcement, judiciary and economy.
Ukrainian soldiers handling howitzers in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine (July 10)
Photographer : Anatolii Stepanov / AFP / Getty Images
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said in Vilnius that he would offer Ukraine a faster-than-usual accession procedure when the time comes.
The secretary-general told reporters that Ukraine would be exempt from the “accession action plan” that is normally required for countries that wish to join. “Ukraine’s accession procedure will go from two to one,” he said.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had been told what the NATO member countries were considering as a result of the summit meeting before entering Vilnius. It is criticized that it is not something to set.
“NATO does not appear to be ready to welcome Ukraine, nor ready to join,” wrote on Twitter and Telegram, adding that such an “unprecedented and ridiculous” result could be used as a bargaining chip if Ukraine’s NATO membership were to be negotiated with Russia. He insisted that it could be used.
Original title:G-7 Countries to Offer Individual Security Assurances to Ukraine
NATO Latest: Zelenskiy Attacks NATO Resistance on Membership Bid
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