Vilnius [Lithunia], July 13: G7 countries plan to provide Kiev with modern equipment for its air and naval forces to repel Russia's aggression as part of long-term security commitments, according to a declaration seen by dpa.
Britain, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Canada and Germany make up the group of Western industrialized nations. Other countries could join the declaration. G7 nations have already provided substantive military support to Kiev, but mainly to be used by land forces. Western fighter jets or warships have not been delivered so far.
Signatories of the declaration - which was to be presented on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Vilnius on Wednesday - are to provide Ukraine with long-term military support for its defence against Russia. But it does not issue far-reaching guarantees like sending troops to Ukraine in the event of a future attack by Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the announcement. The commitments would be a "very important and specific success" for Ukraine, he said earlier on Wednesday. Zelensky expected the security guarantees to cover areas in which Kiev has already received support but also additional aspects like air defence and military aircraft.
Signing nations are to ensure "the continued provision" of modern military equipment for land, air and sea domains, "prioritizing air defence, artillery and long-range fires, armoured vehicles, and other key capabilities, such as combat air," the declaration states.
In addition to providing military equipment, the G7 nations are to "increase and accelerate intelligence sharing, bolster support for cyber and hybrid threat defences, expand training programmes and military exercises, and develop Ukraine's industrial base," a press release from the UK government said.
Source: Qatar Tribune