G7 countries finalize a "security umbrella" for Ukraine on its way to NATO

Zelensky stresses that the G7 document will be a legal commitment to strengthen Ukraine's defense in the long term

VILNIUS, 12 (from the special representative of EUROPA PRESS, Víctor Tuda)

The G7 countries finalize an agreement to offer security guarantees to Ukraine so that the country can defend itself against future Russian aggression until it becomes a member of NATO, a sign of support that will come after the members of the alliance have expressed their unanimous support. to the accession of Ukraine.

In a press conference from Lithuania, where he is participating in the NATO summit, the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, has valued that the main world powers and other countries that want to join offer a "legal document" that symbolizes that Ukraine has a "safety umbrella".

As he explained, kyiv will later negotiate the details bilaterally with each guarantor country, advancing that these agreements will strengthen security in aspects that Ukraine now lacks, such as air defenses or combat aircraft.

In any case, Zelenski has stressed that these guarantees must cover until Ukraine's entry into NATO, in no case replace its entry into the military alliance and must be expressed in writing so that they do not depend on personal relations between leaders. "We want documents so that it is not just a matter of personal relationship. This will open the possibility of having bilateral documents later," he indicated.

Regarding the agreement of the NATO allies to invite Ukraine to join the alliance once it undertakes reforms and complies with the security conditions, marked by the march of the war, the Ukrainian leader has lowered the reproaches of this Tuesday although he has regretted that the "optimal" result would have been a direct invitation.

"We understand that some are scared to talk about our membership now, because nobody wants to have a world war, which is logical and understandable," he admitted.

Hours earlier, the US National Security adviser, Jake Sullivan, in a forum on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, in Lithuania, spoke openly about the issue, announcing that Washington and "many other allies and partners" are going to launch the process to give Ukraine "long-term security commitments in military, economic and other necessary tools to counter Russian aggression and deter future Russian aggression."

In the same way, the British Government has informed that the United Kingdom hopes to agree within the G7 "a new framework to guarantee the security of Ukraine in the long term", according to a statement on the agenda of the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

London has indicated that the agreement will mark the way in which the allies will support Ukraine in the coming years to end the war and deter and respond to any future attacks. The signatories will undertake long-term bilateral security commitments for Ukraine to defend its territorial sovereignty.

In any case, the agreements of some NATO allies will not extend to the organization as a whole, since the alliance defends that it does not correspond to it to provide this type of guarantee, which in the NATO lexicon corresponds to the clause of mutual defense of article 5 of treaty of washington.

BILATERAL MEETINGS

In this context, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he will deliver demining equipment to Kiev during a new meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, who has updated him on the situation at the front. "Thank you for each of the weapons sent, especially the long-range ones," Zelenski highlighted on his Telegram account.

Likewise, the Ukrainian president has announced an agreement with the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, for the shipment of more Patriot defense systems, an issue that he has described as "very important to protect the lives of Ukrainians from Russian terrorism."

"We have returned to talk about security guarantees for Ukraine on the way to NATO," he said before thanking the German government for its "long-term support." "Long-term assistance programs are the best sign to anyone in the world that Europe will continue to be a place of peace and security," she said in a Telegram message.

Zelensky also met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he thanked for his support "since the beginning of the Russian aggression" and his recent visit to kyiv. "We can fully count on you. We are fighting for common values. I am very grateful for the support of your government and I am glad to have spoken today," said the Ukrainian president.

Thus, he has stressed that the country needs Canadian assistance and has stressed that "there is no other option than Ukraine's accession to NATO", while highlighting the importance of the security guarantees offered by Trudeau .

Zelensky has taken the opportunity to update Trudeau on the latest events on the battlefield and address the possible extension of military and technical assistance to the country by the allies until "the liberation of all territories is temporarily completed busy".

Both have stressed the importance of continuing to protect the Ukrainian skies and the "participation of Canada in the coalition of fighters" and have spoken of the implementation of the peace formula for Ukraine.

On the other hand, Zelenski has taken advantage of the occasion to hold a meeting with Sunak and has ventured that "there will be news". "Our negotiations always strengthen global security!" He asserted in a message on his Twitter account.

Subsequently, he held a meeting with the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, with whom he discussed the need to "impose new sanctions against the aggressor State" and the head of the Netherlands Government, Mark Rutte, who confirmed the start of the training mission of Ukrainian pilots for the use of F-16 fighters in August.

In addition, they have discussed different areas of defense cooperation, including the strengthening of Ukraine's air defense, as "the Alliance's support for Ukrainian integration at the Euro-Atlantic level is consolidated", as Zelensky has highlighted. .