Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Ukraine and the U.S. government are “working on a bilateral security agreement” that would force Washington to provide Ukraine with military, economic, and political support for the next decade.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Zelensky said that he and President Joe Biden are in talks to secure a deal that would give Ukraine U.S. taxpayer funds for the next ten years as its long-winded war with Russia continues.
He claimed the money is needed to equip Ukraine with the “efficiency in assistance” it needs to tackle the recent war advances by Russian forces.
“We are working to commit to paper concrete levels of support for this year and the next ten years,” Zelensky said. “It will include military, financial, and political support, as well as what concerns joint production of weapons.”
The Ukrainian president thanked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for “him and all the congressmen for their support” after Congress approved a $61 billion aid package for the country after more than six months of partisan feuding.
He insisted that the reason he needs a long-term contract with the United States is so that the Ukrainian government can be the strongest opponent against Russian President Vladimir Putin. The president has already made bilateral security arrangements with several NATO members, including the UK, Germany, and France. However, those agreements are not binding. This means that the countries can terminate the deals at any moment’s notice.
On the other hand, Zelensky wants his deal with Washington to be concrete, saying that the “Agreement should be truly exemplary and reflect the strength of American leadership.”
This comes after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) ignored his party’s opposition to the multi-billion dollar aid package and sided with Democrats on the deal for Ukraine.
Critics of sending additional aid to Ukraine accuse Biden of funding and prolonging the war without offering a clear path to a peace deal with Russia.
Zelensky said that he and Jeffries had “emphasized the need for Patriot systems” after Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced on Friday that the U.S. would be sending Ukraine additional Patriot systems as part of a $6 billion foreign aid package.