Ukraine holds 3rd round of negotiations with US on bilateral security agreement
A Ukrainian team led by Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak held the third round of negotiations with the U.S. on the future bilateral security agreement on April 29, the Presidential Office reported.
Ukraine is seeking to sign bilateral security agreements with as many of its allies as possible as it fights Russia's full-scale invasion.
The agreements are based on a pledge made by the Group of Seven (G7) last July, which aims to bolster Ukraine's ability to resist Russian aggression. So far, nine have been signed with Latvia, Finland, the U.K., Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands.
President Volodymyr Zelensky previously said that Ukraine is moving towards "an important agreement with the U.S.," adding that the agreement could happen after Congress passes a $61 billion aid bill for Ukraine, which happened last week.
"The recent approval by the United States of a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine has significantly accelerated the negotiation process, and I am convinced that our leaders will be able to sign a bilateral security agreement in the near future," Yermak said.
The parties discussed the content of the agreement in detail, the progress of the negotiations, and the further plan of coordinated actions.
Yermak expressed hope that the bilateral security agreement between Kyiv and Washington would "directly contribute to the defeat of Russia" and create "a solid foundation for long-term cooperation."
Ukraine has also begun negotiations on a draft bilateral security agreement with Portugal, another country that joined the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine in 2023.
Zelensky announced in April that Kyiv expects to sign more bilateral security agreements "soon" with some Nordic and Baltic countries.
Rachel Amran
