President Joe Biden is scheduled to sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, demonstrating ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine’s national security.
The upcoming U.S.-Ukraine bilateral agreement follows last year’s G7 summit, where President Biden and the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom pledged to establish their own direct security arrangements with Ukraine.
Sullivan stated that President Biden and President Zelenskyy will meet at this year’s G7 summit to discuss sustained U.S. support for Ukraine. Following that, “the leaders will sign a bilateral security agreement reaffirming our long-term support and committing to continued collaboration, particularly in defense and security.”
Fifteen countries have already forged direct bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, demonstrating solidarity as Ukrainian forces confront a Russian invasion in the eastern Donbas region.
“Any enduring peace in Ukraine must be backed by Ukraine’s own capacity to defend itself and deter future aggression,” Sullivan emphasized. “By signing this agreement, we will also send Russia a message of our determination. If [Russian President Vladimir Putin] believes he can outlast the coalition supporting Ukraine, he is mistaken. He cannot simply wait us out, and this agreement will showcase our resolve and ongoing commitment.”
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Sullivan clarified that the new agreement encompasses the type of military support the U.S. government has already extended to Ukraine but does not entail deploying U.S. troops directly into the conflict.
“They have requested our weaponry and aid as they battle to protect their land. They have not requested our forces to join the fight. Therefore, this agreement does not include any commitment to utilizing our own troops to defend Ukraine,” he explained.
While the new bilateral agreement would symbolize sustained U.S. commitment to providing military assistance to Ukrainian forces, Sullivan highlighted that the U.S. stands to benefit “from Ukraine’s insights and expertise, its battlefield advancements, and its experiences from the front lines.”
The White House national security advisor also mentioned that the new bilateral agreement would involve certain new Ukrainian obligations to account for the various weapon systems that the U.S. government continues to supply.
Sullivan provided limited additional information regarding the specific provisions and enforcement mechanisms of the forthcoming security agreement, which is occurring in the final months of President Biden’s term.
If President Biden secures a second term after the U.S. general elections in November, U.S. support for the Zelenskyy administration may persist. Conversely, former President Donald Trump—the expected GOP candidate—has oscillated on whether to maintain providing military aid to Ukraine.
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