‘We will not waver in helping Ukraine,’ Joe Biden tells Vladimir Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed a commitment by the West wealthiest countries to support Ukraine for as long it takes to defeat Russia.

US President Joe Biden with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Lithuania. Picture: Getty Images

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed a commitment by the West wealthiest countries to support Ukraine for as long it takes to defeat Russia, ­insisting it was a step on the road to Kyiv eventually joining NATO.

“We will not waver,” US President Joe Biden said in a speech in Vilnius on Wednesday aimed at showing resolve to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin after meeting Mr Zelensky at a NATO summit.

“Putin still doubts our staying power. He’s still making a bad bet that the conviction and the unity among the United States and our allies and partners will break down.”

Mr Zelensky insisted that the promises from the Western leaders amounted to a “significant ­security victory” that he could take home to Kyiv.

But he did not disguise the fact that he would have preferred the 31-member Atlantic alliance to have agreed on a firm timetable for Ukraine to join its ranks once the 16-month old Russian invasion has been defeated and peace restored.

“The best guarantee for Ukraine is to be in NATO,” Mr Zelensky said, expressing confidence that once the war was over Ukraine would be welcomed, but warning that the G7 commitments should be seen “not instead of NATO, but as security guarantees on our way to integration.”

The NATO leaders agreed on Tuesday that Ukraine could join the alliance once certain conditions were met, and US and German officials in Vilnius made it clear that these would include Kyiv carrying out reforms to protect democracy and the rule of law.

“No country is exempt from them,” Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, referring to the reforms.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, centre, with other NATO leaders at the summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Picture: Getty Images

This could frustrate Mr Zelensky, who insisted Ukraine’s understanding was that the tests that Kyiv must still pass were simply “security conditions”, that peace must be restored and the Russian aggression ended.

“We understand that Ukraine cannot become a member of NATO while the war is ongoing. But then it will be for our common strength when Ukraine joins the alliance,” he tweeted.

The G7 plan provides a framework under which individual ­nations will agree to bilateral deals with Kyiv detailing the weapons they will give and response they will make if Russia ups the ante, a message to Mr Putin that he cannot keep the war grinding on hoping that international support falters.

Mr Biden, who opposed granting Kyiv an immediate invitation timetable, insisted the G7 commitments showed that world powers would be by Ukraine’s side while it fights off Russia and establishes the conditions of membership.

“We’re going to help them build a strong capable defence across land, air and sea,” Mr Biden said at a ceremony with Mr Zelensky and the leaders of the other G7 powers – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – to unveil the framework document on their security promises.

Mr Biden saluted Mr Zelensky’s courage as an example to the whole world, “not only you but your people – your sons, your daughters, your husbands, your wives, your friends: you’re incredible.”

To prevent Russia starting another war when peace comes, the G7 vowed swift military help for Kyiv and to punish Moscow if there were to be another invasion.

Mr Zelensky thanked them, but stressed that the document should be an “instrument of integration” leading one day to full NATO membership.

Several more countries have ­already signed up to the principles of the G7 document, including Spain, The Netherlands, Portugal, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Poland, ­according to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

French President Emmanuel Macron said this international solidarity showed that Ukraine enjoys long-term backing while Russia, recently beset by a brief ­revolt by the Wagner mercenary group, was “militarily and politically fragile” and showing “its first signs of division”.

Mr Biden later flew to Finland, which joined NATO in April, where he was to meet Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and the prime ministers of the Nordic countries before heading back to Washington.

AFP