The United States and Ukraine signed a historic bilateral security pact on Thursday on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy, as reported by CNN.
The 10-year agreement outlines a long-term security relationship between Washington and Kyiv, including training for Ukraine's armed forces, cooperation on weapons production, military assistance, and intelligence sharing.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the pact the strongest agreement between Ukraine and the US since independence, serving as a bridge to NATO membership.
"It is very important for all Ukrainians and for all Europeans to know that there will be no security deficit in Europe," Zelensky said.
Zelensky also revealed that Chinese leadership assured him they would not supply weapons to Russia, though he added, "We'll see."
US Commitments and Air Defense
President Joe Biden reaffirmed US support, stating that American air defense systems like Patriot will prioritize Ukraine, with other countries having to wait.
However, the pact is an executive agreement, not a treaty, and is not legally binding for future US presidents.
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Former President Donald Trump has not explicitly committed to continuing support, promising only to end the war quickly if elected.
Alongside the security deal, the US announced new sanctions targeting over 300 entities and individuals enabling Russia's war effort.
G7 leaders also agreed to provide Ukraine with a $50 billion loan backed by profits from frozen Russian assets.
Russia's foreign ministry warned of "painful" retaliatory measures, calling the initiative illegal.
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During the summit, Biden worked to ensure reproductive rights language remained in the final statement, and addressed questions about his son Hunter Biden's conviction, ruling out a pardon.
