Baltic nations join G7 declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine
Photo: postimees.ee
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have joined the declaration of the G7 countries regarding the support of security guarantees for Ukraine.
The prime ministers of the three countries reported this in a joint statement.
Thus, Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Latvia Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš, and Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė announced their accession to the G7 declaration.
"We will work with Ukraine within this international framework to create security commitments and mechanisms that will help Ukraine win this war as soon as possible, maintain economic stability and reconstruction, ensure the implementation of reforms, stability and progress on its European and Euro-Atlantic path," the statement says.
Photo: twitter.com/kajakallas
It also states that Ukraine's fight against the Russian Federation helps protect Euro-Atlantic security and international order. The prime ministers promise to support Ukraine to victory and participate in international efforts to protect its independence, democracy, and well-being, as well as bring to justice those responsible for the crime of aggression.
At the same time, they are convinced that only NATO membership will provide Ukraine with security guarantees and a reliable instrument of deterrence to prevent new Russian aggression. They noted that they will continue unwavering support for Ukraine to become a member of the Alliance as soon as possible.
The prime ministers of the Baltic states also promised to cooperate with Ukraine on its way to the European Union. They hope to start negotiations on accession in 2023 after a corresponding assessment by the European Commission.
"A strong, independent, and prosperous Ukraine fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family is extremely important for European security," the joint statement read.
For reference:
A summit of NATO countries took place in Vilnius on July 11 and 12, one of the main topics of which was Ukraine.
In the final communique of the summit, published on the Alliance's website, the heads of state and government of the North Atlantic Alliance recognized Ukraine's progress on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration. Moreover, they confirmed that Ukraine's future lies with NATO.
In addition, NATO heads of state and government agreed to drop the requirement for a Membership Action Plan for Ukraine; they said they would invite Ukraine to join the Alliance after "fulfilling the conditions."
The Group of Seven (G7) leaders agreed on the "Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine" on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius. They did not agree on specific "security guarantees" parameters, but their framework and specific bilateral agreements will be signed later.
On August 14, it became known that Greece supported security guarantees for Ukraine and became the 14th country to join the G7 declaration.
Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Sweden also joined the G7 declaration.
In particular, Bulgaria recently signed the declaration.
It should be noted that Ukraine began negotiations on "security guarantees" in August with the United States of America and Great Britain.
