Contents of security agreement between Ukraine and EU revealed
It has been revealed that the future security agreement between the EU and Ukraine will determine the forms of aid for Ukraine in the security and defence sector, as well as the mechanism of consultations in the event of future aggression.
As reported by Reuters, the document, which was prepared in April and is currently being discussed between the EU and Ukraine, says that in the event of "future aggression", the EU and Ukraine intend to determine Kyiv’s needs within 24 hours and decide on the next steps "swiftly" and in line with the established commitments.
The draft also lists nine forms of security aid which the EU will continue providing Ukraine with, mainly armament supply, training soldiers, defence industry cooperation and help with demining.
The commitments will remain in effect "as Ukraine pursues its European path" and will be reviewed in 10 years at the latest, the draft says.
"It does not specify the value or quantity of future assistance. Details of proposed measures will have to be agreed separately among the EU's 27 member states, which also provide their own bilateral aid to Ukraine," Reuters writes.
The draft of the security agreement also indicated that the EU agreed to allocate €5 billion for the European Peace Fund (EPF) for the military aid for Ukraine this year but there is no commitment to allocate the same amount in the coming years.
European officials cited by Reuters stress that the agreement is not equal to the collective defence within NATO but is rather a commitment to supply Ukraine with weapons and other aid to strengthen its own security and to deter any future invasion.
German media outlet Welt am Sonntag was the first to report about the draft agreement between Ukraine and the EU, stating that the document was planned to be finalised by the end of June.
As of now Ukraine has signed bilateral security agreements with nine countries, Latvia being the last of them. Talks to sign an agreement with Norway have been finished as well.