Vilnius, Wednesday, 12 July 2023
In Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where NATO is holding a two-day meeting, the Group of Seven nations announced the signature of a united declaration in support of Ukraine on Wednesday.
In order to provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees, the pact, which was signed by the UK, US, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy, includes commitments to operate multilaterally and on a country-to-country basis.
US President Joe Biden stated that the statement will "make clear that our support will last long into the future" and pave the way for Ukraine to join NATO in his remarks during the declaration's announcement.
"This starts a process by which each of our nations and any other country who wishes to participate will negotiate long-term bilateral security commitments with and to Ukraine," he added.
"It will be a force of stability in the region and deter against any and all threats," said Biden.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, hailed the statement and noted that the summit's outcome was "very much needed."
He said it gives Ukraine additional security opportunities.
The nations reaffirmed in their joint statement their "unwavering commitment to the strategic objective of a free, independent, democratic, and sovereign Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders, capable of defending itself and deterring future aggression."
Also emphasised was the fact that "the security of Ukraine is integral to the security of the Euro-Atlantic region."
The G-7 member states declared that they will support Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression "for as long as it takes."
Each signatory nation pledged in the declaration to cooperate with Ukraine on specific, bilateral, long-term security commitments and arrangements to guarantee Ukraine's military readiness, strengthen its economic stability and resilience, and provide technical and financial support for its immediate needs.
Ukraine stated that it was dedicated to improving transparency and accountability standards in relation to partner assistance while also making a beneficial contribution to partner security.
The declaration said that "this effort will be continued while Ukraine pursues a pathway towards future membership in the Euro-Atlantic community."
It also stated that other nations may join the joint declaration at any moment and contribute to the endeavour "to ensure a free, strong, independent, and sovereign Ukraine."
(Report by: The Decision Maker – International Relations editors)