EU to finalize security agreement with Ukraine by July
The European Union agreed on a security agreement for Ukraine and is already discussing it with Kyiv, including whether it is possible to send NATO soldiers to Ukraine, writes Welt, citing the document on May 11.
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Document states that EU wants to make broad security commitments to Ukraine by early July. These include political, military and economic assistance and will remain in effect until Ukraine joins the EU and NATO.
According to Welt, ambassadors of 27 EU member states recently agreed on an eleven-page document marked “confidential” that is currently being discussed between European External Action Service and Ukrainian government.
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“European Union and its member states play a crucial role in guaranteeing immediate and long-term security and resilience of Ukraine through military and civilian assistance, humanitarian, financial, trade and economic support, shelter for displaced persons, support for reforms, reconstruction and rehabilitation, as well as through restrictive measures and diplomatic support,” document reads.
In particular, EU assures Ukraine that in case of further attacks, immediate consultations will be held within 24 hours to discuss Ukraine's right for self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter.
This excludes direct participation of EU soldiers in the fighting. Instead, Brussels promises Ukraine to continue supplying lethal and non-lethal weapons, training military personnel, assistance in reforming security sector, support in demining country's territory, and cooperation in protecting against hybrid threats and cyberattacks.
Read also: Poland will soon join G7 security commitments to Ukraine
At the same time, Welt writes that seven EU countries refuse to sign bilateral security agreements with Ukraine. These list includes Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and neutral states of Ireland, Austria, and Malta. Switzerland and Turkey, which are not members of the EU, also refused to do so.
At the EU summit in late June 2023, 27 member states agreed to assume “security commitments” to Ukraine. During negotiations in recent months, three neutral states insisted that EU - unlike individual member states - should not provide any security guarantees, but only reassurances of security. These countries believe that assurances are less binding than guarantees.
Ukrainian bilateral diplomacy
In July 2023, G7 leaders announced that they agreed on a declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine.
As of April, Ukraine signed nine security agreements: with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, and Latvia.
Ukraine is also negotiating these agreements with the United States, Norway, Estonia, Portugal, Spain, and other countries.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 1 announced that work with partners is underway on seven more new security documents that will strengthen Ukraine for period before it joins NATO.
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