ANDUS President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bilateral security agreement valid for 10 years on the sidelines of the G7 summit on Thursday. which seeks to send a signal of strong support to Ukraine, although it could be undone by future North American leaders.
Biden and Zelensky shake hands after signing a security agreement on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Savelletri (Brindisi), Italy.
Photo:EFE
The two leaders signed the text of the agreement in front of the media, on a blue lectern emblazoned with the flags of the United States and Ukraine, and at the end they shook hands.
“President Zelensky and I have just signed the agreement between the United States and Ukraine. Our goal is to strengthen Ukraine’s credible defense and deterrence capabilities in the long term,” Biden announced at a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart.
Zelensky began his appearance by thanking him for an agreement that he considered makes the bond between kyiv and Washington “stronger” and, furthermore, it serves to take steps towards a “sustainable peace.”
Consulted within 24 hours after an attack
The text of the pact, to which EFE has had access, commits the United States to holding high-level consultations with kyiv within 24 hours if Ukraine is attacked again in the future to “determine next steps and additional defense needs.” “.
However, the agreement does not establish new commitments on the prospects of Ukraine’s accession to NATO nor does it offer guarantees similar to Article 5 of the Alliance’s founding treaty, which establishes that an attack on one member is an aggression against the entire organization.
In this way, the pact does not force Washington to send troops to defend Ukraine if it is attacked, something that has been a red line for Biden in supporting that country.
Nor is a specific dollar figure specified in Washington’s support for Ukraine, but the American commitment to supply more modern weapons, as well as continue training and equipping Ukrainian forces in the handling of weapons.
Himars missile carrier, US arms supply to Ukraine.
Photo:Fayez Nureldine. AFP
Share intelligence
Some of the highlights are the commitment to share more intelligence than currently and improve the ability of Ukrainian forces to operate according to the standards set by NATO, not only at the operational level, but also in terms of Transparency and accountability.
It also expresses Washington’s commitment to helping Kiev improve a long-term “deterrence” capability in different areas, such as air, sea and cyberspace, with the aim of preventing any future attacks.
In addition, The United States is committed to helping Ukraine develop its own military industry capable of producing its own weapons.
The idea of offering certain security guarantees to Ukraine with bilateral agreements arose during the G7 meeting at the NATO summit held in July last year in Lithuania, to compensate for the Alliance’s refusal to offer Kiev a concrete accession schedule. .
Numerous non-G7 countries have since joined the initiative and signed pacts of this type with Ukraine, committing to continue supporting it for the next ten years.
Hours before Biden and Zelensky’s announcement, Japan signed a similar agreement with Ukraine, so now All G7 members have signed agreements of this type with kyiv.
A photo provided by the Presidential Press Service of Ukraine shows President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida (L) signing a bilateral agreement on support for Ukraine and Ukraine-Japan Cooperation, in Borgo Egnazia, Apulia region, southern Italy.
Photo:EFE
Could be abolished by Trump
The agreement announced this Thursday does not reach the status of a treaty, something that would require the approval of the US Senate to be approved, so it is not necessarily binding on future presidents.
Former President Donald Trump (2017-2021), who will face Biden in the November elections, has not explicitly said whether he will continue to support Ukraine if he returns to the White House and he has only stated that he will negotiate a quick end to the war with Russia without explaining how.
He has also urged European countries to contribute more to their own defense and said that would allow Russia to “do whatever it wants,” even attack NATO members, if Alliance members do not increase their defense funding.
