The State Department has confirmed that virtual talks between Washington and Kiev will begin this week regarding the security guarantees pledged to Ukraine by the G7 at the NATO summit in Lithuania. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller described these talks as an “outgrowth” of the G7’s statement during the NATO summit. The Ukrainian President’s aide, Andrey Ermak, had previously announced the upcoming talks, stating that Ukraine expects these guarantees to ensure its ability to win the conflict with Russia.
Miller, however, clarified that the guarantees offered in Vilnius were focused on long-term commitments to Ukraine’s security. He emphasized that these talks are separate from the regular security assistance provided by the US and are intended to assist Ukraine in establishing a long-term military capability as a deterrent.
Over the past months, the US and its allies have already provided Ukraine with over $100 billion worth of weapons, equipment, and ammunition. Despite this assistance, the US and its allies maintain that they are not direct participants in the conflict. However, Moscow has repeatedly expressed concerns, warning that such deliveries make the Western countries de facto combatants and legitimate targets for the Russian military.
The G7’s security guarantees were seen as a consolation for Ukraine after not receiving an invitation to join NATO, which President Zelensky had expressed disappointment about. Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov had previously highlighted the need to review the details and prices of the proposal before evaluating its merits.
The upcoming talks between the US and Ukraine will specifically address the details of these security commitments. They will take place virtually at the deputy assistant secretary level, excluding Victoria Nuland, who was recently promoted to acting deputy secretary. Nuland played a significant role in the 2014 US-backed coup in Kiev, which resulted in Ukrainian nationalists coming to power and triggering the ongoing conflict. In May, she revealed US plans to discuss Ukraine’s long-term future alongside Kiev’s military offensive, which had been planned for several months with US assistance.
The virtual talks between Washington and Kiev are expected to further clarify the security guarantees and address Ukraine’s long-term security needs. These discussions, separate from ongoing security assistance, aim to assist Ukraine in establishing a strong military deterrence against potential aggressors.
Source link
