National security advisers from Ukraine, European countries, and allied partners from the so-called Coalition of the Willing reached a multilateral framework agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine on Saturday, Jan. 3, that envisions Europeans deployed in Ukraine.
A meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing is scheduled to follow in France on Jan. 6.
Security guarantees for Ukraine: What the framework agreement provides
According to Advisor to the President’s Office Oleksandr Bevz, who held a televised briefing after the meeting, the framework harmonizes how the guarantors will coordinate their support.
“Everyone understands that the Armed Forces of Ukraine form the first line of defense. European-led multinational forces will be deployed in Ukraine and involved in securing the country in the air, at sea, and on land. The United States will provide a so-called ‘back-stop’ to support these multinational forces,” he said.
He added that Kyiv is coordinating the military components of the security guarantees with its partners.
The negotiations
The negotiations included national security advisers from European countries, alongside representatives from NATO, the European Council, and the European Commission.
“Together with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Andriy Hnatov, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Serhiy Kyslytsia, and Advisor to the President’s Office Oleksandr Bevz, we began joint work with European partners here in Kyiv,” Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov had written in a Telegram post ahead of the meeting.
Umerov said that Ukraine is working to ensure all decisions are realistic and based on shared responsibility.
Representatives of 15 countries – Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark – participated in the meetings.