G7 Commits to Long-Term Military Aid for Ukraine
G7 Commits to Long-Term Military Aid for Ukraine, Kremlin Calls it an “Extreme Mistake”
The G7 countries have pledged to provide Ukraine with long-term military and financial assistance to enhance its defense capabilities. President Zelensky described it as a “very important signal,” while the Kremlin deemed it an “extreme mistake.”
At the end of the two-day NATO summit, the G7 group of Western industrialized nations announced their intention to provide Ukraine with modern equipment for its air and naval forces. This information is based on the text of a declaration, according to the German Press Agency.
The declaration assures Ukraine of long-term military support in its defense against Russia. However, it does not include comprehensive security guarantees for the period after a potential end to the conflict. Such guarantees would involve commitments to provide military assistance through their own troops in the event of an attack, for example.
No specific timeline is provided.
Germany and other G7 countries plan to promise the Ukrainian government the necessary equipment to defend their homeland and ensure their strength after the Russian aggression, making Moscow reluctant to launch further attacks.
According to the document, modern equipment will be made available in the areas of “air and sea.” Air combat systems are mentioned as a key capability. However, no timeline is given.
The security guarantees for Ukraine on its path to potential NATO membership are seen as a “very important signal” by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He added, “If the G7 countries announce these guarantees today, it will be an important concrete success for us.”
Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, emphasized the need for a security partnership. He stated, “It allows participating countries to specify their contributions to Kyiv and embed these contributions in a longer-term strategy that Ukraine can rely on.” US President Joe Biden also emphasized, “We will be there as long as necessary.”
Scholz also explained that NATO is “a defense alliance that does not threaten anyone but is ready and capable of countering any military threat.”
The Kremlin described the G7’s long-term security commitments as a danger to Russia’s security. According to Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for President Vladimir Putin, it is an “extreme mistake” and potentially very dangerous. Peskov stated in Moscow, according to Russian news agencies, that if the G7 countries provide any form of guarantees to Ukraine, they are disregarding the international principle of “indivisibility of security.” He further claimed that by providing security guarantees to Ukraine, they are compromising Russia’s security. Moscow still hopes for “wisdom” in the West; otherwise, European countries will become “much more dangerous for many, many years.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg believes that providing Ukraine with additional weapons is currently the most important task in supporting Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia. He stated, “Of course, the most urgent task is to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself. Because if Ukraine does not survive, there is no question of membership to discuss,” during a joint appearance with the Ukrainian President.
While Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed satisfaction with the results of the two-day NATO summit, he did so with reservations. He stated that the results of the summit are “positive,” but an invitation to join NATO “would have been ideal.” Speaking at a press conference with Stoltenberg in Vilnius, Zelensky emphasized the importance of a swift NATO membership for Ukraine. He said, “We live under conditions where we have to survive, and our partners.
“Important Signals” for Ukraine
During bilateral talks, he generally received “important signals” that his country would join NATO. “Ukraine understands very well that it cannot become a NATO member while the war is ongoing,” said Selenskyj. Kyiv had been pushing for a concrete perspective on NATO membership ahead of the NATO summit.