Ukraine and US sign 10-year security agreement

US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement on 13 June aimed at strengthening Kyiv's defence capabilities.

As reported by Reuters, the agreement, signed on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Italy, should be a step towards "Ukraine’s eventual membership in the NATO alliance" and reaffirms the United States' support for Kyiv in protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"To ensure Ukraine’s security, both sides recognise Ukraine needs a significant military force, robust capabilities, and sustained investments in its defence industrial base that are consistent with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) standards," the text of the treaty says.

It also states that the United States intends to provide long-term materiel, training, and advisory, technical, intelligence, security, defence-industrial, institutional, and other assistance to "develop Ukrainian security and defence forces that are capable of defending a sovereign, independent, democratic Ukraine and deterring future aggression."

According to the agreement, in the event of an armed attack on Ukraine or the threat of such an attack, American and Ukrainian authorities will meet within 24 hours to consult and determine what extra defence necessities Ukraine has.

After Japan, the United States became the 17th country with which Ukraine signed a bilateral security agreement and the final Group of Seven country to do so.

However, the United States recognises that potentially any next president of the United States can withdraw from a security agreement with Ukraine since it does not provide for ratification by Congress.