The G7 countries offer security commitments to Ukraine until its entry into NATO

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

The G7 countries have agreed on Wednesday to offer security commitments to Ukraine to reinforce its defense until it joins NATO, according to the statement agreed upon by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan, which states that long-term aid with arms delivery, training and intelligence will be realized through bilateral agreements with Kiev.

“We have started negotiations with Ukraine to formalize -through commitments and bilateral security agreements aligned with this multilateral framework- our lasting support for Ukraine”, has collected the statement of the main world powers agreed on the margins of the NATO summit in Vilnius, in Lithuania,

This security framework will be extended until Ukraine joins the Atlantic Alliance, says the G7, which promises to provide assistance to Kiev as it “defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, rebuilds its economy, protects its citizens and pursues integration into the Euro-Atlantic community.” .

In a symbolic act, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, has indicated that the commitment put on the table by the G7 is based on the idea that while Ukraine advances in its integration into NATO, the powers “will provide security to face any aggression it may suffer”.

With this step, Ukraine’s main allies “make it clear that support will last into the future,” said Biden, who has stated that the G7 statement is “powerful” and shows commitment to Ukraine for as long as it takes.

For his part, the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, has thanked this new framework of military support, noting that it represents a “victory” for Ukraine at the Vilnius summit, which has concluded with “significant successes” for the country. In this way, he has reduced the criticism that he leveled this Tuesday before arriving in Lithuania when he reproached NATO for not setting deadlines for kyiv’s entry into the alliance.

The countries of the club open the declaration to third countries and Spain has already confirmed that it will join the initiative, diplomatic sources have advanced and the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has confirmed at a press conference. This declaration means giving support to Ukraine “to develop its armed forces so that they can exercise their legitimate defense against Russia in the medium and long term”, indicated Sánchez.

Among the European countries that have expressed their intention to join this commitment are the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Denmark, Poland and Norway, the same sources have indicated.

REINFORCING THE UKRAINIAN ARMY BY LAND, SEA AND AIR

The members of the G7 have asserted that they will work with Ukraine on “specific, bilateral and long-term” issues to “ensure a sustainable force capable of defending Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future.” To this end, they have stipulated the use of “modern military equipment, in the land, air, and sea domains, prioritizing air defense, artillery, and long-range fire, as well as armored vehicles and other key capabilities.”

In this sense, they seek to foster greater “interoperability with Euro-Atlantic partners” as they develop the Ukrainian defense industrial base and encourage the training of its Armed Forces. They have also advocated increasing the exchange of intelligence information and favoring cooperation in this field.

They have also highlighted the importance of “strengthening Ukraine’s economic stability and resilience, including through reconstruction and recovery measures to create favorable conditions for promoting Ukraine’s economic prosperity, including its energy security.”

To this end, they plan to offer “technical and financial support to meet the immediate needs of Ukraine derived from the war in Russia, as well as allow the implementation of an effective reform that supports a government necessary to achieve its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”

CONSULTATION MECHANISM

On the other hand, they have stressed that in the event of a future attack by Russia, “they will immediately consult Ukraine to determine the steps to follow” and have shown their commitment to supporting Kiev to bring Moscow before the justice.

This includes working to ensure that “the cost of aggression continues to rise for Russia, including through sanctions and export controls,” and supporting efforts to ensure that “those responsible for war crimes and other international crimes committed in Ukraine” do not go unpunished

“There must be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities. In this context, we reiterate our commitment to hold those responsible to account, in accordance with International Law, including by supporting the efforts of international mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court “, picks up the text.

The G7 has stated that “Russian assets will remain frozen until Russia pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine.” “We recognize the need to establish an international mechanism to repair the damage and losses of Russian aggression and we express our willingness to explore options to develop timely mechanisms,” they stressed.

“We consider Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine to be a threat to international peace and security, a flagrant violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter, and incompatible with our security interests. We will support Ukraine as long as defends itself against Russian aggression, for as long as necessary,” they pointed out.

In addition, they have stressed their “unity” as a sign of support for Kiev, “taking into account shared democratic values ​​and interests (…) and the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty”, while advocating to contribute to the introduction of reforms that facilitate “modernization” and the “strength of civilian democratic control over the Army” as progress is made towards greater transparency.