Ukraine, Estonia prepare to start negotiations on security agreement
Ukraine and Estonia have agreed to start negotiations on a bilateral security agreement "as soon as possible," Ukraine's Presidential Office reported following a meeting between Ukrainian Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva and Estonian Deputy Foreign Minister Kyllike Sillaste-Elling on Feb. 7.
The agreement would aim to provide Ukraine with "effective security guarantees" along with the commitment of NATO leaders at the 2023 Vilnius Summit, Zhovkva said.
The Group of Seven (G7) members agreed on a joint declaration on "security guarantees" for Ukraine on July 12, 2023, at the NATO summit in Vilnius, aiming to entail explicit and long-lasting obligations that will bolster Ukraine's ability to resist Russian aggression.
The guarantees will also address sanctions, financial aid, and post-war reconstruction.
As of August 2023, 12 countries have joined the G7's declaration.
During the meeting, Ukraine and Estonia discussed the future bilateral security agreement structure and its thematic blocks.
"It was agreed to start negotiations on its conclusion as soon as possible," Zhovkva said.
The deputy head of the Presidential Office thanked Estonia for its "proactive position" on several priority areas, including using frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine.
Zhovkva also pointed out Estonia's "leadership role in IT and cybersecurity," noting that relevant provisions should be appropriately reflected in the bilateral agreement.
Estonia has been one of the leading military donors to Ukraine in terms of gross domestic product shares since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. The Baltic country delivered Javelin anti-tank missiles, ammunition, and other weaponry in its latest military aid package earlier in February.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
