G7 countries agree upon Joint Declaration on their support of Ukraine

It includes defence assistance and help with holding Russia accountable

The G7 countries have agreed upon a declaration on their support of Ukraine during the NATO Summit in Vilnius, as per Head of the Office of Ukraine’s President Andriy Yermak.

He called the move “an important victory for Ukraine on its way towards NATO”.

“It’s an important step towards the signing of bilateral security agreements between Ukraine and certain guarantor countries,” Yermak said.

According to him, the key thesis of the document is that “the security of Ukraine is a component of the Euro-Atlantic region’s security”.

The declaration includes:

• Defence assistance to Ukraine

Including arms supply, support in development of the military-industrial complex, training, cooperation in the fields of intelligence and cybersecurity.

The guarantor countries will also help increase the stability of the Ukrainian economy and energy sectors and provide technical and financial aid.

• Measures in case of “new aggression” from Russia

The measures include urgent consultations that will allow for providing Ukraine with “all the things necessary for defence as soon as possible”.

• Support in holding Russia accountable for the military aggression against Ukraine

Furthermore, the guarantor countries will take “economic and legal steps towards punishing Russia and increasing its expenses on the war”. Among the steps are the further increase of the sanctions pressure, freezing of assets, creation of mechanisms for collection of reparations, and prosecution of those guilty of crimes against Ukraine and Ukrainians in accordance with the norms of international law.

• “Further support of democratic development of Ukraine”

Yermak added that the document allows other countries, not only the members of G7, to join the security guarantees.

“The declaration is the first document symbolising the presence of an ‘umbrella’ in a form of security guarantees. It’s important for us to win the war and sign the security guarantees for our nation before the NATO Summit in Washington in 2024. They will have come into force before we have joined NATO,” he wrote.

The Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, is hosting the NATO Summit on 11-12 July. Yesterday, 11 July, NATO countries agreed to abolish the Membership Action Plan requirement to accelerate Ukraine’s accession. Stoltenberg said that Ukraine would be invited to join NATO once all the allies have agreed and “conditions have been met”.

On Wednesday morning, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that, in his opinion, NATO’s decisions in regards to Ukraine weren’t enough. “In my opinion, this is absolutely not enough. I hope that in a few years Ukraine will be the full member of our Alliance, of NATO,” he emphasised.