Ukraine, Germany begin talks on bilateral security guarantees

On 17 November, Ukraine launched bilateral security negotiations with Germany, becoming the sixth country to hold such talks, Ukraine’s Presidential Office reported. The Ukrainian delegation is led by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva, who emphasized Germany's leadership in providing Ukraine with financial, military, and humanitarian aid. In the inaugural talks, Kyiv and Berlin exchanged views on approaches to future security guarantees, their format and substance, while agreeing on a plan for further actions, the statement said. "Germany is our reliable partner and one of the leaders in financial, military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Without Germany, it is impossible to imagine the effectiveness of security commitments and Ukraine's pathway toward future membership in the Euro-Atlantic community. That is why the start of bilateral security and support negotiations with Germany is crucial," Ihor Zhovkva said. Germany joins five other G7 countries- the US, UK, Canada, Japan, and France - with whom Ukraine has already begun respective bilateral negotiations. On 28 October, Andrii Yermak, the head of the Presidential Office, engaged in bilateral security discussions with representatives from the Netherlands on the sidelines of the Ukraine peace formula summit in Malta. The Netherlands became the first non-member of the G7, with which Ukraine initiated relevant bilateral negotiations. During the NATO summit in Vilnius in July, the Group of Seven nations agreed to offer Ukraine long-term security commitments and arrangements. The declaration affirms support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and condemns Russia’s invasion. It states the strongest guarantee is helping Ukraine defend itself under Article 51 of the UN Charter. It outlines bilateral security cooperation on:

• Equipping Ukraine’s military with necessary equipment, including air defense, artillery, armored vehicles, and combat aircraft. Also covers training, intelligence sharing, and developing Ukraine’s defense industry.
• Reconstructing Ukraine’s economy and energy infrastructure.
• Providing financial and technical assistance to meet urgent wartime needs.

The countries pledged to hold Russia accountable for war crimes and keep its assets frozen for reparations. In return, Ukraine commits to reforms upholding democracy, human rights, and media freedom. Ukraine also pledges to implement defense reforms and modernization, including strengthening democratic control of the armed forces and increasing efficiency and transparency in defense institutions and industry. Read also:

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