US, G-7 leaders to announce 'long-term commitments to support' Ukraine
U.S. President Joe Biden and other G-7 leaders are set to unveil future support for Ukraine on Wednesday after the conclusion of a high-stakes NATO summit in Lithuana's capital.
"President Biden and G-7 leaders will make a major announcement alongside President Zelenskyy this afternoon outlining our long-term commitments to support the people of Ukraine," U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat said during a press briefing in Vilnius on Wednesday morning. "The United States, along with G-7 leaders, will announce our intent to help Ukraine build a military that can defend itself and deter a future attack."
"The launch of this process today will start a series of bilateral negotiations with Ukraine on the reaching of bilateral security commitments to help make this a reality," she added. "In particular, this process will ensure that the military assistance we provide Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression continues to be part of a long-term investment in Ukraine’s future force."
![PHOTO: NATO-Ukraine Council meeting during the NATO Summit on July 12, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania.](https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/2e69e4cc-2571-4c3f-b387-8d87400be403/biden-zelensky-nato-gty-jef-230712_1689163174688_hpEmbed_22x15.jpg)
That investment will include making sure "Ukraine has a sustainable fighting force capable of defending Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future, a strong and stable economy, and the help Ukraine needs to advance the reform agenda to support the good governance necessary to advance Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, which Ukraine recommits itself to as part of this declaration," according to Sloan.
"Taken together, we believe the declaration we will announce today seeks to ensure Ukraine's future as a free, independent, democratic, and sovereign nation," she told reporters. "This multilateral declaration will send a significant signal to Russia that time is not on its side."
-ABC News' Molly Nagle