Biden: Until Ukraine joins NATO, allies will guarantee country's security
U.S. President Joe Biden has confirmed that Ukraine's allies have agreed to guarantee Ukraine's security before it joins the Alliance.
President Biden of the United States said this on Thursday during a trip to Finland at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"We're also made clear to President Zelensky that we're not waiting for NATO membership to be finalized to commit to long-term security of Ukraine," Biden said.
He reminded that the G7 leaders issued a new joint declaration of support for Ukraine."The declaration I was glad to see the Nordic nations (of Europe) immediately welcome to support," he said, adding that any country could join "to negotiate bilateral security agreements with Ukraine until they're officially members of NATO".
Biden noted that NATO nations have reaffirmed "unwavering support for the brave people of Ukraine, as they defend their country against Russia's brutal and inhumane attacks".
According to him, the U.S. allies and partners around the world understand that "this fight is not only a fight for future Ukraine, it's about sovereignty, security, and freedom itself".
"I want you to think about what happened if we didn't do anything," he said.
The allies also agreed to waive the NATO Membership Action Plan, which is normally required for accession, "and just created a path of membership for Ukraine," he said, noting Kyiv's progress on democratic transformation.
Biden reiterated that no country can join NATO while it is at war, otherwise, NATO would also be at war.
As reported, the NATO summit was held in Vilnius on 11-12 July. The G7 countries signed a declaration on security support for Ukraine and assistance in the reforms necessary for membership in the Alliance.
Photo: Office of President