Leading industrial nations on Tuesday declared a long-term commitment to the security of Ukraine to included continued defense, economic and financial support, following a two-day NATO summit that included an Alliance communique committing to stepped up support for Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders.
The G-7’s Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine says that negotiations with Ukraine are underway to establish “bilateral security commitments and arrangements” that will “formalize” long-term support for the country’s defense, rebuilding and “integration into the Euro-Atlantic community.”
U.S. President Biden said the declaration shows “that our support will last long into the future.” He added that “We’re going to help Ukraine build a strong, capable defense across land, air, and sea from which…it will be a force of stability in the region and deter against any and all threats.”
Later, Biden gave an emphatic address at Vilnius Univ. in Lithuania, which hosted the NATO summit, repeating three times that “We will not waver,” adding that “I mean that. Our commitment to Ukrain will not weaken. We will stand for liberty and freedom today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the new commitment, saying his delegation to the summit “is bringing home significant security victory for the Ukraine, for our country, four our people, for our children. It opens for us absolutely new security opportunities, and I thank everyone who made it possible.”
Ukraine had hoped for a clear path to NATO membership from the summit but the Alliance communique said it will continue to work toward that goal, in part through a new NATO-Ukraine Council that will also allow for crisis consultations and other activities. The council is an upgrade from the previous NATO-Ukraine Commission. Biden did say on Wednesday that he looks forward to the celebrating the day when Ukraine becomes a member of NATO.
The defense piece of the G-7 declaration says the security commitments will ensure “a sustainable force capable of defending Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future, through the continued provision of” modern military equipment in all domains “prioritizing air defense, artillery and long-range fires, armored vehicles, and other key capabilities, such as combat air, and by promoting increased interoperability with Euro-Atlantic partners.”
It also says that the commitments will develop Ukraine’s defense industrial base, provide more training and exercises for Ukrainian forces, the sharing and cooperation on intelligence, and support cyber defense and security.