President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have signed a landmark 10-year bilateral security agreement, aimed at strengthening Ukraine's defenses against Russian aggression and moving the country closer to NATO membership.
The agreement was finalized on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy, signaling a commitment from the U.S. to support Ukraine regardless of potential changes in the U.S. administration, including a possible return of former President Donald Trump.
"Our goal is to enhance Ukraine's credible defense and deterrence capabilities for the long term," Biden stated at a joint news conference with Zelensky. He emphasized the G7's unified stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin: "You cannot wait us out. You cannot divide us." The G7 also agreed to provide a $50 billion loan to Ukraine, backed by profits from frozen Russian assets.
The U.S.-Ukraine security deal serves as a framework to modernize Ukraine’s armed forces and is seen as a step towards NATO membership. The agreement includes commitments to develop Ukraine's defense industry, expand its military and align with NATO standards. (Related: Zelensky demanding 10 MORE YEARS of U.S. taxpayer funding for his "forever war.")
Zelensky hailed the agreement as historic, viewing it as a crucial step towards NATO membership. "This is an agreement on security and thus on the protection of human life," he remarked.
While Ukraine has long sought NATO membership, the alliance has stopped short of this commitment. NATO's Article Five clause, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all, remains a critical point of contention.
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The agreement stipulates that in the event of an armed attack or threat against Ukraine, top U.S. and Ukrainian officials will convene within 24 hours to discuss a response and assess additional defense needs.
The U.S. reaffirmed its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially as Russia intensifies its offensive on Ukraine's eastern front. The agreement also facilitates intelligence sharing, joint training, military education programs and combined military exercises between the two nations.
With Trump currently leading Biden in many election polls, the future of the agreement could be uncertain. Trump has expressed skepticism about Ukraine's ongoing conflict, suggesting he would end the war quickly and has urged Europe to take on more responsibility in supporting Kyiv.
Zelensky addressed concerns about potential changes in U.S. leadership, emphasizing the global support for Ukraine based on shared values and empathy for the Ukrainian people. "If the people are with us, any leader will be with us in this struggle for freedom," he said.
Ukraine, allies reject Putin's ceasefire conditions
Meanwhile, Ukraine, the U.S. and NATO rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's ceasefire conditions, which demand Ukraine withdraw from territories claimed by Moscow and abandon its NATO bid.
"Putin has illegally occupied sovereign Ukrainian territory and is in no position to dictate terms for peace," said U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at a NATO meeting in Brussels. "He could end this today by withdrawing from Ukrainian territory."
Ahead of a Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, Putin stated that Moscow would stop its offensive if Kyiv withdrew its troops from the east and south, dropped its NATO ambitions and recognized Russia's annexation of Crimea.
Zelensky dismissed Putin's offer as an untrustworthy ultimatum, comparing it to Hitler's expansionist policies. "These are ultimatum messages, no different from the past," Zelensky told Italy's SkyTG24 news channel.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak called Putin's conditions "absurd," saying they amounted to asking Ukraine to surrender its sovereignty.
NATO defense ministers approved a new long-term security aid and military training plan for Ukraine, addressing delays in Western deliveries and responding to Russian advances. This plan complements the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), which coordinates military aid for Kyiv.
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown noted that Ukrainian forces have managed to "hold the defensive lines" despite significant losses.
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