U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy on Thursday, IPN reports, with reference to Gordonua.com and Reuters.
The deal is aimed at bolstering Ukraine’s defense against Russian invaders and getting Ukraine closer to NATO, being considered a bridge toward the country’s eventual NATO membership.
The text states that the U.S. “commits to support Ukraine in developing a modern, NATO-interoperable force that can credibly deter and, if necessary, defend against future aggression,” including developing Ukraine's air and missile defense, cybersecurity, and maritime capabilities.
In the event of an armed attack or threat of such against Ukraine, top U.S. and Ukrainian officials will meet within 24 hours to consult on a response and determine what additional defense needs are required for Ukraine, the agreement says.
The United States restates its support for Ukraine’s defense of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and outlines plans to develop Ukraine’s own defense industry and expand its military. Ukraine needs a “significant” military force and sustained investments in its defense industrial base consistent with NATO standards, the text says.
The source noted that so far Ukraine has signed bilateral security agreements with the UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Japan.
The Republic of Moldova also has a security and defense partnership with the EU, which, in the view of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chisinau, will function as an umbrella arrangement for all interactions between Moldova and the EU, in areas such as EU assistance to build Moldova’s resilience; cybersecurity; countering disinformation; assistance to the defense sector through the European Peace Facility; Moldova’s participation in the framework of the European Peace Facility; EU crisis management missions; integrated border management.
