Zelensky calls security commitments 'success' after NATO frustration

Long-term plans by G7 countries to help Ukraine's armed forces repel Russia's aggression are a "very much needed and meaningful success for Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday after a NATO summit in Vilnius.
He was more conciliatory in his remarks after sharply criticising a decision by the Western military alliance to not extend an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO on Tuesday.
"We're going to help Ukraine build a strong, capable defence across land, air and sea," US President Joe Biden said, speaking alongside Zelenksy.
Britain, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Canada and Germany make up the G7 group of Western industrialized nations. Other countries are invited to join the efforts.
The aim of the security commitments is to build up a military capable of fighting back Russia's ongoing aggression and future attacks. They are to include modern equipment for Ukraine's air and naval forces.
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, despite repeated calls by the Ukrainian leadership for modern aircraft.
The "security partnership" announced on Wednesday is to strengthen Ukraine by providing a long-term strategy Kiev can rely on, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
This ties in with previous assistance, which has enabled Ukraine to defend itself in a way that would not have been possible on the basis of its own economic strength, he added in remarks just before the conclusion of the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital.
The latest pledges do not include far-reaching guarantees like sending troops to Ukraine in the event of a future attack by Russia.
Participating 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," a joint G7 declaration stated.
Additionally, 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.
"We can never see a repeat of what has happened in Ukraine and this declaration reaffirms our commitment to ensure it is never left vulnerable to the kind of brutality Russia has inflicted on it again," said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Wednesday's signing of the declaration is to be followed up by bilateral talks between signatories and Ukraine on the details of the security arrangements.
"Supporting their progress on the pathway to NATO membership, coupled with formal, multilateral and bilateral agreements and the overwhelming support of NATO members will send a strong signal to President Putin and return peace to Europe," Sunak said.
The US is ready to offer Ukraine - once a ceasefire and a peace agreement are in place - similar protection as it provides to Israel, President Joe Biden said in an interview on Sunday.
Israel receives $3.8 billion per year from Washington, with a large share being used for air defence and military equipment.
In a first reaction, Moscow said the long-term security assurances offered by the G7 to Ukraine are a threat to Russia's security.
"We consider this to be an extreme mistake and potentially very dangerous," Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.
Peskov stated that if the Group of Seven industrialized countries were to provide any kind of commitments to Ukraine, they would be ignoring the international principle of "indivisibility of security."
"This means that by giving security guarantees to Ukraine, they are violating Russia's security," he added.