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During a visit to Italy, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joseph Biden signed a Bilateral Security Agreement between Ukraine and the United States.
With this document, the United States assumes long-term security commitments aimed at supporting Ukraine’s efforts to win the war and deter possible Russian military aggression in the future.
The U.S. policy is to help Ukraine maintain a credible and sustainable level of defense. In particular, the United States intends to seek from the United States Congress appropriation of funds to help sustain a Ukrainian credible defense and deterrent capability, in war and peace.
The United States will support our defense forces and the development of military capabilities through the supply of weapons, equipment, training, and other assistance, in coordination with partners. This includes assistance in areas such as air defense, artillery, armored vehicles, combat aviation, maritime security, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure protection.
The United States will support Ukraine in developing a layered and integrated air and missile defense system, in particular, building upon the Patriot system. It will coordinate with Ukraine, and work principally through an allied consortium, on the modernization of Ukraine’s Air Force, including working toward procurement of squadrons of modern fighter aircraft of the fourth generation (including but not limited to F-16s), and assist in the development of other capabilities, including UAVs.
The document envisages cooperation on the development of Ukraine’s defense industrial base through cooperative defense research and development, production, and support for increasing the production of necessary weapons, ammunition, and equipment in our country.
The agreement sets out the main areas of long-term U.S. assistance for economic recovery, reforms, and continued support for the Ukrainian Peace Formula.
The document also clearly states the United States’ support for Ukraine’s future membership in NATO and recognizes that this agreement is a bridge to our country’s eventual membership in the Alliance.
Separate sections of the document address the importance of holding Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine, in particular by paying compensation. The document also emphasizes the U.S. efforts to impose sanctions and export controls. The document also emphasizes the need to explore all possible avenues by which immobilized Russian sovereign assets could be made use of to support Ukraine.
The United States became the 17th country with which Ukraine signed a bilateral security agreement in furtherance of the G7 Vilnius Declaration. Previously, Ukraine signed such documents with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, and Japan.
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