G7 Countries Prepare "Historic" Joint Security Guarantees for Ukraine
The G7 countries have prepared long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, which they call historic, and a step towards ending the current phase of the war.
The decision has already been prepared and almost agreed upon. The signing will take place on Wednesday in Vilnius, on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
"The joint declaration, expected to be signed by all members of the G7, will set out how allies will support Ukraine over the coming years to end the war and deter and respond to any future attack. It is the first time that this many countries have agreed a comprehensive long-term security arrangement of this kind with another country," stated the press service of the UK government.
The signatories of the joint declaration will also provide a long-term bilateral security commitment to Ukraine, which aims to "build a Ukraine that can defend its territorial sovereignty both now and in the future".
After the signing of the declaration, the partners will announce even more security assistance, including more extensive and rapid intelligence sharing and support to combat cyberattacks and hybrid threats, expanded training programs for the Ukrainian military, and the development of Ukraine's industrial base.
"We can never see a repeat of what has happened in Ukraine and this declaration reaffirms our commitment to ensure it is never left vulnerable to the kind of brutality Russia has inflicted on it again. Supporting their progress on the pathway to NATO membership, coupled with formal, multilateral, and bilateral agreements and the overwhelming support of NATO members will send a strong signal to President Putin and return peace to Europe," said Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister.
At the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, Rishi Sunak plans to welcome the Allies' decision to simplify Ukraine's accession process and note that Ukraine has been adapting NATO standards very quickly, and that further interoperability and willingness to reform "has already helped them make progress toward the moment when they will be ready to take their rightful place in the Alliance".
At the same time, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce a major new aid package for Ukraine, with 70 pieces of combat and logistics equipment, including CVRT armoured fighting vehicles, thousands of projectiles for Challenger 2 tanks, and around US$65 million to repair military equipment already supplied.
These funds are also provided for the establishment of a rehabilitation centre for seriously wounded soldiers, which will work in partnership with the leading UK centre in this field, Stanford Hall, with the support of specialists from all member states.
The Vilnius Summit decision contains quite positive wording regarding Ukraine. In particular, the NATO summit agreed to remove the requirement for a Membership Action Plan on Ukraine's path to the Alliance. At the same time, the allies made it clear that they would invite Ukraine to join NATO "when the conditions are met".
The summit decision does not contain a list of conditions to be fulfilled by Ukraine, but it does set out a mechanism for their evaluation. The Annual National Programme (ANP) will become a tool for monitoring Ukraine's reforms. This tool is already at Ukraine's disposal.