PUGLIA, Italy—President Joe Biden signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on June 13, signifying a continuing U.S. commitment to support the war-torn country against Russian aggression.
The two leaders signed the agreement on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in southern Italy. It includes a U.S. commitment to bring its military cooperation with Ukraine up to NATO standards and help accelerate its transformation into a nation befitting its goal to join the European Union.
“Our goal is to strengthen Ukraine’s credible defense and deterrence capabilities for the long term,” President Biden said in a joint press conference after signing the agreement. “We’ve taken three major steps at the G7 that collectively show Putin he cannot wait us out. He cannot divide us and we will be with Ukraine until they prevail in this war.”
The agreement also outlines U.S. commitment to developing multiple facets of Ukraine’s forces, including its Air and Missile Defense, confirming the utilization of the Patriot missile system in the process.
The White House also announced its intention to provide long-term training and advice to Ukrainian forces and invite them to join U.S. and multilateral exercises “when appropriate.”
President Biden reaffirmed, though, that the United States would not send American troops to Ukraine to fight and will instead continue to provide weapons and ammunition, expand intelligence sharing, and continue to train Ukrainian troops in Europe and the United States.
The agreement was signed after G7 countries agreed on a plan to unlock frozen Russian assets to use as collateral for what will be a multi-billion-dollar loan to Ukraine. President Biden described that accomplishment as “another reminder to Putin [that] we’re not backing down. In fact, we’re standing together against this illegal aggression.”
The security pact was made after President Biden and the leaders of the G7 countries agreed last year at the NATO summit in Vilnius that they would each sign bilateral security agreements with Ukraine.
So far, 15 countries have already entered into direct bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, according to the White House.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan briefed reporters ahead of the bilateral meeting on June 13, describing the agreement as a milestone.
“We think this is a big deal, a milestone moment in the partnership between the U.S. and Ukraine,” Mr. Sullivan said.
He added that the agreement is “a real marker” of U.S. commitment for the long term “both in defending against Russian aggression and in deterring future aggression so that Ukraine can be a sovereign, viable, thriving democracy.”
Utilization of a Patriot missile system was confirmed in the agreement: “Building upon the range of air defense capabilities that the United States has provided to date, including the Patriot system, the United States commits to support Ukraine’s development of a layered, integrated air and missile defense system.”
According to Mr. Sullivan, the security agreement does not include specific dollar figures for supporting Ukraine.
“It includes a commitment to work with Congress on sustainable funding going forward, which we will do,” he told reporters on June 12 on Air Force One en route to Italy.
“And it lays out a framework for how we work with Ukraine and with other allies and partners to ensure Ukraine has what it needs in terms of the physical capacity as well as the intelligence and other capacities to be able to defend itself effectively and to deter Russia.”
The president met with Mr. Zelenskyy for the second time in a week. The two leaders met in Paris on June 7 during the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
During that meeting, President Biden apologized to Ukraine’s president for the delays in passing a foreign aid measure that included $61 billion in support for Ukraine.
“We’re not going to walk away from you,” President Biden told Mr. Zelenskyy while announcing $225 million in new assistance for the country.
President Biden began his meetings in Puglia, Italy, on June 13 with the leaders of the G7, the world’s seven wealthy democratic nations, to discuss a broad spectrum of topics, including the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, economic security, and international cooperation on artificial intelligence.
The three-day summit is taking place in the luxurious hotel resort of Borgo Egnazia, nestled among olive groves along the Adriatic coastline in the town of Savelletri di Fasano.
This year’s summit is hosted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Other leaders attending the summit are French President Emmanuel Macon, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
This will turn i fear, into another 20 year funding debacle.. JUST LIKE our reconstruction of afgan and iraq was.
How long do you keep giving money to a drug addict? This business of giving Billion$ to a never ending sinkhole, when have other countries given support to the US during our disasters?
That is why i think its high time we CUT Federal funding TO all these sink holes..
zelinskyy must have deeeeeeepppp dirt on the bidens!
It’s not hidden dirt. It’s ignored dirt. Above The Law dirt.
The Bidens are playing with people who operate on a lower level than Corn Pop. I think Jill is keeping Joe out there and is on media begging for votes because she’s scared of what’s going to happen when Joe ceases to deliver, short of the finish line.
It’s the six labs that were operating in the Ukraine before the Russian invasion, that the USA funded.
Makes you wonder, what happened to all the stuff IN THOSE labs!
how is it legal for him to do that? Why doesn’t congress stop it? (I wrote to Kevin Kiley about it but I wonder if anybody in congress does what’s right any more)
This security agreement is as valuable as the one Hitler gave to Neville Chamberlain and the mutual no agression pact the Russians got promising not to invade them. About as worthless as the Agreement in the 1990’s when the Soviet Union fell and Ukrainians were seduced with unfullfilled promises to insure the land integrity of Ukraine if they surrendered the 2000 tactical Nukes domiciled there at the time., SIgned and guasranteed by the USA Britain,,and yes, even the Soviet union. If Biden wants to fulfill agreements he should have reminded the Russians that they guaranteed the integroty of Ukraine and since they broke the promise the USA would make them pay. Obama sat on his hands while Putin ran in and stole Crimea and several acres and wons in east Ukraine. Promises by weak leaders are meaningless.
These days, promises by most every politician, are worthless as wet toilet paper.
“President Joe Biden signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement…signifying a continuing U.S. commitment to support the war-torn country against Russian aggression.”
He’s using our tax money. Is he supporting “the war torn country against Russian aggression”, or protecting a “family business” interest.
I’m sorry, I just don’t trust the guy and I don’t believe a mumbled, scrambled, plagiarized, deceitful thing he says.
“Sustainable funding”. It’s enough to make you sick.
I wonder how much of this “aid” goes into the pockets of Mr. Z and his gubment buddies. I’m sure the US has NO oversight to ensure proper use and dispersal of the funds.