Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the duration and structure of any US security guarantees remain to be defined after the latest round of talks with negotiators.
“We are discussing the duration of these guarantees,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media. “In addition, there is a deterrence package – what an 800,000-strong army will be equipped with. What Ukraine’s army will have.”
For the Ukrainian leader, the post-ceasefire support already promised by the US and European’s last week isn’t good enough.
The US administration said in August they were open to providing security guarantees to Ukraine after a peace deal or ceasefire was signed, but details as to what they will include remain unknown.
The “key security guarantees will be legally binding”, Zelenskyy wrote in the post. “We will discuss what the US backstop is and what specific details it may include – air defense, aviation, intelligence, and more,” he wrote.
According to media reports, US security guarantees must “include Article 5 of NATO” type support – a reference to the mutual defence clause enjoyed by members of the military alliance – and a much stronger pledge than the one written in the text of the agreement.
Last year, Ukraine received $45 billion worth of military aid, a similar amount as the previous years, despite the US’ drawdown.
(jp)