Biden and Zelenskyy sign ‘historic’ 10-year security deal

Savelletri: US Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a landmark 10-year security deal between Washington and Kyiv on Thursday in what the Ukrainian leader called a historic day in the fight against Russia’s invasion.

The deal will see the United States provide Ukraine with a range of military aid and training over the next decade, while Zelenskyy said it would act as a bridge to his country finally winning prized membership of the NATO alliance.

Signed shortly after a G7 summit agreed on a separate deal to loan Ukraine $50 billion based on frozen Russian funds, it comes as the White House tries to lock in support for Kyiv with an election battle with Donald Trump looming.

“Today is a truly historic day,” Zelenskyy said at a joint press conference with Biden after they signed the security agreement at a luxury resort near the G7 summit site in southern Italy.

Biden said they had taken “major steps at the G7 that collectively show (Russian President Vladimir) Putin he cannot wait us out.”

The agreement says that the United States and Ukraine must consult within 24 hours “at the highest levels” after any future armed attack by Russia.

It also pledges to build up Ukraine’s military, cooperate on training and work to build up Ukraine’s domestic arms industry.

“Our security agreement is a bridge to Ukraine’s membership in NATO,” Zelenskyy told the press conference.

The United States has previously said Ukraine should have a path to membership but says that is impossible while it is still at war with Russia, as under NATO’s mutual defence treaty its Western allies would have to go to war with Russia.

Biden meanwhile defended his decision to let Ukraine use US arms for short-range cross border attacks in the Kharkiv region, where Russia is mounting an offensive, but said longer-range attacks were still barred.

- ‘Into the future’ -

Zelenskyy meanwhile called for more Patriot air defence missiles to protect Ukraine against Russia’s campaign of missile attacks.

Biden said five countries had already pledged to give Patriots to Ukraine, and said they would have to wait for the United States to replenish them until Ukraine’s needs were fully met.

Zelenskyy also said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping had promised not to send Russia weapons to use against Ukraine -- though Biden said Beijing was already contributing to Moscow’s war effort by giving economic and industrial support.

The US-Ukraine deal is similar to one that the United States has with its close Middle Eastern ally Israel.

Washington has supplied Israel with arms as it fights Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 attacks.

While the Ukraine accord aims to commit future administrations to also support Ukraine, Trump could in theory end the agreement if he wins a second term in November.

But US officials insisted it would still build lasting support for Ukraine.

“Today, the United States is sending a powerful signal of our strong support for Ukraine now and into the future,” said a US statement accompanying the security agreement.

Japan signed a similar security pact with Ukraine at the G7 summit.

Kyiv has now signed at least 15 similar deals in the past year with its major Western backers outlining multi-year commitments to fund and enhance Ukraine’s defence and military.