Luxembourg, Ukraine sign security deal amid NATO summit
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Luxembourg will provide Ukraine with intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance capabilities, and military training amid the country's war with Russia.
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President Joe Biden speaks during the opening session of the NATO Summit, on July 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
Ukraine and Luxembourg signed a security deal on Wednesday amid the Washington D.C NATO summit, which Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky stated focuses on the "political and value-based cooperation" between the two nations.
The agreement states that Luxembourg will assist Ukraine through military training and “the provision of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, including in the space domain, and cyber-electromagnetic capabilities.”
Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden joins France, Germany, and the UK in signing an agreement strengthening its bilateral relations with Russia, taking on a "co-lead" with Estonia to bolster Ukraine's Air Force and IT capabilities.
Following the finalization of the agreement, Frieden wrote on X that the aim is to “guarantee security, the rule of law and freedom in Europe.”
Signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine President @ZelenskyyUa in Washington today. 🇺🇦🇱🇺
— Luc Frieden (@LucFrieden) July 10, 2024
Our aim is to guarantee security, the rule of law and freedom in Europe. Borders cannot be changed by force.#NATOSummit pic.twitter.com/wzb1PUvu7B
Luxembourg has played a pivotal role in its support and assistance to Ukraine during its war with Russia, providing the nation with over €250 million ($270.74 million) in military aid. This year alone, the duchy allocated €80 million ($86.64 million) in military defense.
Although Ukraine has signed around 20 bilateral deals with its alliances, none of the agreements fall under Article 5 of the NATO Charter, where an attack on one of the allies is an attack on the entire bloc. In addition, the treaties do not warrant the alliance's direct involvement in the war with Russia.
The agreements also do not concern Ukraine's NATO membership, which is currently hindered due to its state of war and corruption.
Russia's Kremlin has consistently reiterated its stance that should the Western countries interfere in its war with Ukraine, whether financially or militarily, the conflict will be prolonged and may be extended to include NATO.
This is reinforced by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who stated that Europe's security will be diminished should the countries continue their support for Ukraine.
US, allies to provide Ukraine with four Patriot systems
The United States, Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands announced in a statement at NATO's 75th anniversary summit in Washington on Wednesday that they are providing Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems.
President Joe Biden described the "historic donation", which includes a new US Patriot system, as part of NATO's efforts to protect Ukraine from Russian air attacks.
Germany and Romania had already confirmed they were sending two Patriot systems each, while the Netherlands mentioned it was assembling one to assist Kiev. Italy is also contributing a separate missile system.
"The war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country. Russia will not prevail," Biden stated at a ceremony in the same room where NATO's founding treaty was signed in 1949.
"This is a pivotal moment for Europe, for the transatlantic community, and, I might add, for the world," he added.
Biden said with other leaders that they aim to send dozens more shorter-range systems to Ukraine in the coming months.
For months, Ukraine has been requesting seven additional Patriot systems to defend against Russian strikes two and a half years into the war.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged alliance members to continue their support for Kiev, warning that a Russian victory would pose the "greatest risk" to the US-led military bloc.
"The outcome of this war will shape global security for decades to come," Stoltenberg emphasized.
President Zelensky thanked Kiev's backers for the air defense, urging the United States and others to further assist his country against Russia.
In a speech to a think tank, he said the "whole world" was looking toward the outcome of the US election in November.
"And truly speaking, Putin awaits November," Zelensky said.
