Zelensky: Agreement on Ukraine, important achievement

2024-07-12 15:16:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Zelensky: Agreement on Ukraine, important achievement

US President Joe Biden (left) and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Washington, July 11, 2024.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the new deal on long-term support for Ukraine, which was finalized at a NATO summit in Washington this week, calling it a "significant achievement" for Kiev and others.

He praised the American leadership for their "decisive actions" to ensure security for Ukraine.

Through the agreement, the United States, the European Union and more than 20 other countries pledged to help protect Ukraine. The agreement was presented by US President Joe Biden at a press conference alongside other NATO leaders and Zelensky at the conclusion of the summit on July 11.

"This Ukrainian agreement, which we are finalizing, takes our relations to a new level. This is a great achievement for Ukraine and for all of us," said Zelensky.

"I thank President Biden for his leadership and efforts to ensure that our security cooperation is full of decisive action," Zelensky emphasized.

He said the deal has helped Kiev acquire vital air defense systems to help it fight the now more than two-year-old Russian occupation.

Twenty-four NATO leaders and Ukraine approved the agreement as part of strengthening Ukraine's defense and other commitments.

The leaders also vowed to meet "quickly and together" at a high level in the event of any future Russian attacks against Ukraine after the current conflict ends.

Biden has called the agreement the "central part" of a "bridge" on Ukraine's path to NATO.

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"Today here, with all these important people behind me, we are taking another important step in our joint support for Ukraine", said Biden.

"Last year, the G7 countries... signed a declaration to protect Ukraine for a long time, not only during this war, but also after, after it has won. Another 25 countries soon joined them and pledged to negotiate and sign bilateral security agreements with Ukraine," he added.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the summit that the alliance was "laying the foundations for the triumph of Ukraine" in its efforts to defend itself against Russia and that the alliance "cannot and will not allow that to happen such a thing again"./REL