WASHINGTON, 14 June. - (ANA) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on June 13 signed a 10-year security agreement, hailing it as a milestone in relations between their countries.

 

Zelenskiy called the security agreement a "bridge to Ukraine's accession to NATO" and said it is important for all Ukrainians and Europeans to know that there will be no security deficit in Europe to tempt aggressors to wage war and make the future uncertain.

 

The text of the agreement "clearly states" that Washington supports Ukraine's victory in the war, Zelenskiy said, speaking at a joint press conference with Biden after the two leaders signed the document on the sidelines of the annual Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy.

 

Zelenskiy listed a number of provisions of the agreement, noting that it is "very specific regarding the supply of the necessary weapons, joint production, and strengthening of the defense industries of our countries through our cooperation."

 

He said this would not only provide security but also jobs for Ukrainians and Americans.

 

Biden said the goal "is to strengthen Ukraine's defense and deterrence capabilities."

 

He said the United States has received commitments from five countries that he did not name to provide Patriot missile and other air defense systems to Ukraine.

 

Zelenskiy said he "urgently" needed seven Patriot systems to protect Ukrainians and the nation's infrastructure from Russia's continued bombardment. Biden told him, "You'll have some relatively quickly."

 

The G7 leaders earlier agreed on a $50 billion loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as collateral. Combined with new sanctions against Russia announced earlier in the week, Biden said the series of actions to support Ukraine show Putin that "he cannot wait us out. He cannot divide us."

 

The agreement will leverage interest and income from more than $260 billion in frozen Russian assets, largely held in Europe, to secure a $50 billion loan from the U.S. and additional loans from other partners.

 

Diplomats confirmed to the Associated Press that an agreement had been reached on the deal before the leaders even landed in southern Italy on June 13 for a highly anticipated three-day summit.

 

Separately, G7 member Canada announced on June 13 that it was sending its first delivery of new armored vehicles to Ukraine. Defense Minister Bill Blair said Ukrainian troops would be trained to use them over the summer.

 

Additionally, Britain said it would announce 242 million pounds ($309.5 million) in humanitarian aid for Ukraine during the summit, which brings together the leaders of seven of the world's wealthiest countries.

 

Germany on June 11 also pledged to send a Patriot system, along with Gepard self-propelled antiaircraft guns and an IRIS-T air-defense system.

 

The G7 summit kicks off a day after Russia killed at least nine people in a deadly attack on the Ukrainian city of Kryviy Rih.

 

A major city in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Kryviy Rih is Zelenskiy's hometown and has been the target of Russian air attacks multiple times in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

 

The Ukrainian government on June 13 said G7 nations had separately agreed to provide more than $1 billion to support Ukraine's energy sector.

 

Ukraine's Energy Ministry said in a statement the country would import 29,796 megawatt hours on June 12, exceeding the previous record of up to 28,000 MWh set earlier this month.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/14 June 2024