According to the agreement, Ukraine is on track to join NATO. This would turn America’s proxy conflict with Russia into a confrontation per Article 5.
On the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy, President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a deal that commits the United States for ten years to “deepening security and defense cooperation with Ukraine” and working closely with Ukraine’s wide network of partners on security. The White House described the pact as “a powerful signal of our support for Ukraine today and in the future.”
Biden stated at a press conference held with Zelenskyy that “our goal is to enhance Ukraine’s deterrence and defense capabilities on a long-term basis.” Biden said that it was “very sensible” for Ukraine to have the ability to combat or eliminate what crosses its border. He did not, however, allow Ukraine to use American missiles to attack Russia. Biden reiterated that American troops will not be deployed to Ukraine’s defense.
Zelenskyy, Biden’s possible successor, expressed his interest in a quick resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and that European powers shoulder more financial burdens for their defense. He also expressed his confidence that the perceived support for Ukraine by the public will translate into continued loyalty to the pact. Zelenskyy said, “If we have the people with us, then any leader would be with us as we fight for our freedom.”
The pact was only signed between the Zelenskyy and Biden administrations, and Congress will not ratify it. Therefore, the next president could tear the pact up once he or she takes over the White House.
The agreement came just days after Biden’s administration lifted a ban on the arming of a controversial Ukrainian brigade founded and shaped by neo-Nazis. It also comes midway through a fiscal year when Congress has appropriated $61 billion for military and economic aid to Ukraine. Of that, $14 billion was allocated for advanced weapons systems and defense equipment, and $13.7 billion is for Kyiv to purchase American defense systems.
Biden also pledged to help Ukraine “develop its capabilities to counter Russian propaganda and disinformation.”
The agreement also comes in the wake of the European Parliament elections in which several right-leaning parties critical of the EU’s policy on the Russian war in Ukraine gained significant ground, and amid waning interest in eastern European countries like Slovakia to continue to support Kyiv’s defensive campaigns.
The G7 wealthy powers, although happy to defer a large part of the costs to the U.S.
In its preamble, the pact states that “the security and stability of Ukraine are integral to the stability of the Euro-Atlantic region” and that it is important to “preserve, promote, and protect Ukraine’s democracy and ability to deter, respond, and counter current and future threats.”
The Strategic Defense Framework, which was signed in 2021 between the Pentagon and Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, will facilitate the development of existing security partnerships. It means that Ukraine will receive more assistance in the form of military training, increased industrial cooperation, joint planning to “confront threats,” and help with the acquisition of squadrons of modern fighter aircraft.
Biden also pledged to “develop Ukraine’s capability to counter Russian propaganda and disinformation.” The Biden administration has already committed to assisting Ukrainian outfits in targeting those entities that are perceived as unfriendly or antipathetic.
Blaze News reported recently that the Biden Department of State funds a Ukrainian NGO that has compiled a database of American politicians, activists, and media outlets, including Blaze Media, who are accused of having shared “Russian disinformation” or “anti-Ukrainian comments.”
The pact ties a “just ending to the war” with Ukraine’s maintaining its internationally recognized boundaries and territorial waters. It also reaffirms that “Ukraine’s future lies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization” (NATO). And it emphasizes the importance of using sanctions and export controls on Russia. Some critics claim these have driven the Slavic nation into communist China’s arms and proved costly for Europe. The U.S. security has not been improved by NATO expansion.
The White House said that to implement this pact, the Biden administration would look to Congress for continued funding of Ukraine “over time.”
According to reports, 15 other countries have similar security agreements with Ukraine. These include Germany, Britain, and France.
The reaction to the agreement so far has been mixed.
Rand Paul, a Republican Senator from Kentucky, said on X Biden “was risking another US forever war.” Paul continued, “By supporting Ukraine joining NATO, he is committing future US servicemembers into Ukraine’s conflict. It’s time for America to be the priority, find diplomatic solutions, and protect our economy and people.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., noted that “NATO’s expansion has not increased American security.”
NATO expansion has not improved American security. pic.twitter.com/f4Hk8x4v4T
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 14, 2024
Others stressed the importance of helping Ukraine win. Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense, stated on Thursday that “the outcome of Ukraine’s fight will determine the trajectory of global security for decades. We must continue to resist Putin’s atrocities and aggression. Let me be clear. Ukraine is important to the United States and the world at large.”
The State Department stated that the pact is “a historic show of support for Ukraine’s security on a long-term basis, which furthers the commitments made in the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine in July 2023, as well as the President’s approval of the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act earlier this spring.”
Zelenskyy claimed earlier this year that more than 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the invasion. However, the BBC reported that U.S. intelligence indicates a much higher number. BBC’s Russian division reported that over 50,000 Russians had been killed as of April. In the fighting between the two countries, there were hundreds of thousands of more soldiers injured.
Two points of comparison: According to Pentagon data, between Oct. 7, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2014, 2,354 American soldiers died in Operation Enduring Freedom, and 20,149 others were injured. In the period between March 2003 and August 2010, 4,431 American soldiers died during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and 31,994 others were injured.