The U.S. and Ukraine will sign a long-awaited bilateral security agreement on June 13 during the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told the press on June 12.
Ukraine and the U.S. have held multiple rounds of negotiations on the bilateral security agreement, which follows the pledge made by the G7 during the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023 to commit to Ukraine's long-term defense.
"Our negotiations have concluded, and we will sign this agreement tomorrow," Sullivan said, describing the deal as a "signal of our resolve."
"We want to demonstrate that the U.S. supports the people of Ukraine, that we stand with them, and that we will continue to help address their security needs, not just tomorrow but out into the future," Sullivan said.
According to Sullivan, the agreement outlines a vision of how to strengthen Ukraine's defense and deterrence capabilities, together with U.S. allies and partners.
The agreement also secures "commitments from Ukraine on reforms" and on "end-use monitoring" for U.S.-provided weapons, Sullivan added. The U.S. will, in turn, benefit from Ukraine's "insights and experience, its battlefield innovations, and its lessons learned from the front."
Liliane Bivings
"This agreement does not include any commitment to using our own forces to defend Ukraine, it is a pledge to ensure Ukraine can defend itself," Sullivan said. Peace in Ukraine will depend largely on "Ukraine's own ability to protect itself and deter future aggression."
Two sources told CNN that the pledge also does not "make a specific monetary pledge to support Ukraine's defense."
The agreement is "expected to commit the U.S. for 10 years to continued training of Ukraine's armed forces, more cooperation in the production of weapons and military equipment, the continued provision of military assistance, and greater intelligence sharing," CNN said.
According to CNN's sources, the agreement paves the way for the U.S. to have a long-term security relationship with Kyiv, but could also be undone by future presidential administrations.
The security agreement will therefore be "less formal than a treaty and not necessarily binding for any future presidents," CNN said.
If signed, the U.S. would join 14 other countries including the U.K., Germany, France, Canada, and the Netherlands, which have signed similar deals to help Ukraine repel Russia's aggression based on a pledge made by G7 at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023.
Most recently, President Volodymyr Zelensky and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and Spain on May 27.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
