A small cohort of NATO members is negotiating a timeline to finalize a security guarantees document for Ukraine before the Vilnius summit. This development was reported by a major European newspaper, which cites multiple sources familiar with policy discussions.
The reporting states that the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have been engaged in security guarantees talks with Ukraine for several weeks and are also consulting other allies within the alliance, the European Union, and the G7.
The discussions involve Western partners pursuing an agreement that is described as both advanced and urgent, with the aim of producing a formal declaration of security assurances for Ukraine ahead of the NATO gathering in Lithuania.
According to a source close to NATO cited by the newspaper, each nation would define its commitments to Ukraine on a bilateral basis, meaning obligations may differ from one ally to another.
In essence, the intent is to commit to supplying weapons for an extended period, sustaining Ukrainian military forces financially, advising its personnel, and training them to deter potential aggression in the future.
President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London on July 10 to finalize remaining details, according to the publication’s sources.
Jake Sullivan, then-National Security Advisor, noted that NATO will seek to add a clause to the Vilnius summit declaration affirming ongoing reforms in Ukraine as part of the path toward alliance membership.
Earlier NATO statements indicated plans for Ukraine’s aspirations and the conditions for possible integration.