The G7 countries pledged on Wednesday to provide long-term military support to Ukraine, although President Volodimir Zelenski warned that these promises are not a substitute for joining NATO.
The seven most advanced powers announced that they will work with Ukraine “on specific security agreements and commitments, bilateral and long-term agreements to (…) ensure a sustainable force capable of defending Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future.”
This includes “security assistance and modern military equipment, in land, air and maritime domains, prioritizing air defense, artillery and long-range devices, armored vehicles and other key capabilities,” the members of the
G7 (United States, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada).
They also announced their support to develop “Ukrainian defense industrial base, training exercises for Ukrainian forces, as well as intelligence sharing and cooperation.”
They will also support “cyber defense, security and resilience initiatives, including to address hybrid threats.”
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The seven countries also expressed their firm commitment to hold Russia criminally accountable. about what happened in Ukraine. “There must be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities. In this context, we reiterate our commitment to hold those responsible to account, in accordance with international law,” they warned.
However, shortly before these announcements, Zelenski reiterated that his country’s priority is full membership of NATO. The G7 pledges should not be seen “in place of NATO, but as security guarantees on our path to integration,” Zelensky told a news conference with Atlantic Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
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“The best guarantee for Ukraine is to be part of NATO,” insisted the Ukrainian president.
On Tuesday, on the first day of a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, NATO promised to invite Ukraine to join the alliance only when all allies agree and “conditions are met,” without offering a detailed timetable for that to happen.
Zelensky and Stoltenberg participated together with the other leaders in the first meeting of the Ukraine-Otan Council, a body that provides that country with direct dialogue in discussions with the alliance, but it is still far from meaning that it is already incorporated into the club.
“This Wednesday we (NATO and Ukraine) meet as equals. I look forward to the day when we meet as allies,” Stoltenberg said.
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has proposed a model for Ukraine similar to the one that his country maintains with Israel, to whom he pledged to provide $3.8 billion in military aid over a decade.
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Russia sees these G7 announcements as a threat to their country. Such compromise plans will undermine Russia’s security, and make Europe “much more dangerous for years and years,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitryi Peskov said.
Western countries have already sent tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Ukraine to help that country to fight against the invasion of Russia.
Germany’s government announced Tuesday it would provide more tanks, Patriot missile defenses and armored vehicles worth another 700 million euros. France, meanwhile, announced that it was sending SCALP-type long-range missiles and a coalition of 11 nations said it will begin training Ukrainian pilots in F-16 aircraft as early as August.
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But all these promises do not cover Zelensky’s aspiration to place his country under the protective umbrella of NATO’s collective defense.
On the first day of the summit in Vilnius, the leaders of the organization pointed out that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO” and shortened the final process that the Kiev government would have to go through to enter the transatlantic alliance, but no specific dates.
AFP
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