Biden, Zelenskyy sign 10-year U.S.-Ukraine security pact: ‘Not backing down’
Global News
The 10-year deal, signed on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy, aims to commit future U.S. administrations to support Ukraine even if Biden loses November's election.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement on Thursday aimed at bolstering Ukraine’s defense against Russian invaders and getting Ukraine closer to NATO membership.
The deal, signed on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy, aims to commit future U.S. administrations to support Ukraine, even if former President Donald Trump wins November’s election, officials said.
“Our goal is to strengthen Ukraine’s credible defense and deterrence capabilities for the long term,” Biden said at a joint news conference with Zelenskyy .
He said the G7’s message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is “You cannot wait us out. You cannot divide us.” The group of rich nations also agreed to a $50 billion loan for Ukraine backed by profits from frozen Russian assets.
The U.S.- Ukraine security deal is a framework for a long-term effort to help develop Ukraine’s outdated armed forces and serve as a step towards Ukraine’s eventual NATO membership, according to the text.
The Ukraine president called the agreement historic, saying it is a bridge toward his country’s eventual NATO membership. “This is an agreement on security and thus on the protection of human life,” he said.
Zelenskyy has long sought NATO membership but the allies have stopped short of taking that step. The Western alliance regards any attack launched on one of its 32 members as an attack on all under its Article Five clause.
In the event of an armed attack or threat of such against Ukraine, top U.S. and Ukrainian officials will meet within 24 hours to consult on a response and determine what additional defense needs are required for Ukraine, the agreement says.
A judge with the Alberta Court of Kings Bench has ruled PetroChina's attempts to take full ownership the Grand Rapids Pipeline lacks the necessary federal government approval.
'As part of the Danish Commonwealth, Greenland is a member of NATO and the defence of Greenland must therefore be through NATO,' the government statement said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand in a joint statement with Australia and the European Union praised the bravery of peaceful protesters and attacked Iran's use of lethal force.
The head of the U.S. Federal Reserve disclosed a legal indictment from the DOJ, and said it was a "pretext" to gain political influence over the Fed to lower interest rates faster.
The U-Haul truck, with its side mirrors shattered, was stopped several blocks away and surrounded by police cars.
The U.S. has launched another round of retaliatory strikes against the Islamic State in Syria following an ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and an American interpreter.
As protests in Iran near the two-week mark, Canada condemns the crackdown. Mark Carney calls reports of violence and arrests “profoundly concerning” and urges for peaceful protest.
"I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if we don't do it the easy way we're going to do it the hard way," he added, appearing to allude to potential military action.
Reza Pahlavi is trying to position himself as a player in his country’s future after living in exile for nearly 50 years, successfully escalating nationwide protests in Iran.
In a social media post, Lula also said both leaders condemned the United States' use of force in Venezuela and called for reform to global governance institutions.
The European Union's top foreign policy envoy said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reply to diplomacy was “more missiles and destruction.”
Iran was largely cut off from the outside world on Friday after authorities blacked out the internet to curb growing unrest, as video showed buildings and vehicles ablaze in anti-government protests raging through the streets of several cities. In a televised address, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed not to back down, accusing demonstrators of acting on behalf of...
In blunt remarks, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and France’s President Emmanuel Macron said global democracy was being attacked as never before.