Sending message to Russia, G7 to announce long-term security assurances for Ukraine

By John Irish and Steve Holland

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -G7 countries will announce on Wednesday an international framework that would pave the way for long-term security assurances for Ukraine to boost its defences against Russia and deter Moscow from future aggression, officials said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was meeting leaders of the 31-member alliance at the NATO summit, after they declared on Tuesday that Ukraine’s future lay inside the alliance but rebuffed his call for a timeline for membership.

Without getting entry into the alliance while the war with Russia continues – given that NATO’s Article 5, which says that an attack on one member is an attack on all, could push it into war with Russia – Ukraine has sought current and long-term security commitments.

NATO has assiduously abstained from giving military assistance to Ukraine as an organisation, to avoid entering a direct conflict with Russia, and is keen to continue leaving that to member states and others.

Britain, France, Germany and the United States, known as the Quad, have been negotiating with Kyiv for weeks over a multilateral text that would create a broad framework for member states, encompassing elements including modern advanced military equipment, training, intelligence-sharing and cyberdefence.

“The joint declaration, expected to be signed by all members of the G7, will set out how allies will support Ukraine over the coming years to end the war and deter and respond to any future attack,” the British government said in a statement.

The G7, which comprises the United States, Germany, Japan, France, Canada, Italy and Britain, as well as the European Union, will meet on the margins of the NATO summit later on Wednesday to announce the initiative.

Countries such as Poland and Romania are likely to also sign up on Wednesday to the framework, which would be open to other countries to make their own bilateral commitments, officials say.

A U.S. official said Washington would begin its own negotiations with Kyiv soon. President Joe Biden has spoken about using its support for Israel as a possible model.

The United States’ military aid for Israel is worth about $3.5 billion a year, but the relationship also entails a great deal of political support.

“G7 leaders agree to enter bilateral negotiations with Ukraine to provide long term security assistance and ensure they have a capable fighting force to deter Russian aggression in the future and provide support for Ukraine’s good governance reforms and strengthen Ukraine’s economy,” the U.S. official said.

Germany has already said that it would initially provide 12 billion euros in military support until 2032, including 3.2 billion euros for 2023.

France, which said on Tuesday it would send long range cruise missiles to Kyiv for the first time, is also negotiating with Ukraine, but will possibly face tough discussions in parliament as it debates its military budget from 2025 to 2030.

Diplomats said in return for the assurances, Ukraine would also pledge to push through governance and judicial reforms.

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