The President of the United States of America (USA) Joe Biden and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have signed on June 13 a 10-year security agreement, which they hailed as a historic moment in the relations between their countries.
Zelensky also said his country “urgently” needs additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainians and the country’s infrastructure from Russia’s continued bombing.
What was included in the security agreement that Biden and Zelensky signed
The President of the United States of America (USA) Joe Biden and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have signed on June 13 a 10-year security agreement, which they hailed as a historic moment in the relations between their countries.
Zelensky also said his country “urgently” needs additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainians and the country’s infrastructure from Russia’s continued bombing.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the annual G7 summit, held this year in Italy, and Biden said the goal “is to strengthen Ukraine’s defense and deterrence capabilities.”
Zelenskyy told a joint news conference that the signing was a “truly historic day,” but he also questioned the sustainability of support from the United States and other allies.
Either side can terminate the agreement in writing with six months’ notice, meaning that a future US president could cancel the agreement.
“Our security agreement is a bridge to Ukraine’s NATO membership,” he said.
Zelensky also stressed that the deal includes F-16 fighter jets and other weapons that Ukraine has long sought.
Biden said the agreement would allow the two countries to expand intelligence sharing and continue training Ukrainian troops.
The security pact, which will remain in place for 10 years, does not provide Ukraine with any new money, but includes a US commitment to work with Congress on a stable funding source for the future.
Biden expressed his conviction that the agreement will make Ukraine “strong and stable”.
He added that the Treasury Department has made it clear that any bank in the world that does business with sanctioned Russian banks will be sanctioned itself.
“Putin will not divide us, and we will stand with Ukraine until they win this war,” Biden said.
Also on June 13, the leaders of the world’s seven most industrialized countries (G7) agreed to lend Ukraine $50 billion using frozen Russian assets.
Diplomats confirmed that agreement on the deal was reached even before the leaders arrived in Italy for the three-day G7 summit./REL
