Ukraine will sign a security pact with the European Union, the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Thursday.
Zelensky said the agreement was an important step towards Ukraine’s “historic goal of peace and prosperity” in the EU in a post on X, ahead of his arrival at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
The EU-Ukraine deal came after months of talks between the 27 EU member states to establish the pact to underpin the country’s long-term support.
The security agreement will “affirm the commitment of all 27 member states to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine, regardless of any internal institutional changes,” Zelenksy said.
Zelensky again celebrated the start of Ukrainian accession negotiations to join the EU and said he would meet EU leaders to thank them for “affirming the irreversibility of our European course”.
Existing EU initiatives such as training Ukrainian soldiers are expected to be reinstated in the pact, as well as long-term commitments to supply Ukraine with artillery and air defense systems to help Kiev against the large-scale Russian invasion.
The agreement with the EU is an important symbol of solidarity with Ukraine.
It follows the official start Tuesday of negotiations on Ukraine’s eventual accession to the bloc.
EU membership is a powerful motivator for Ukraine in their fight to defeat the Russian invasion of their country. Kiev also wants to become a member of NATO in the future.