On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the US and Ukraine are working on a 10-year bilateral security deal that would include long-term commitments for US military aid.
The US and other NATO countries agreed to negotiate bilateral deals with Ukraine at the alliance’s summit in Vilnius last year. Ukraine has already signed agreements with several NATO nations, and Zelensky said he was hoping to make the deal with the US the “strongest of all,” as the US is by far Ukraine’s biggest backer.
“Our teams, Ukraine and the United States, are currently working on a bilateral security agreement, and we are already working on a specific text,” Zelensky said in his nightly address. “We are discussing the specific foundations of our security and cooperation. We are also working on fixing specific levels of support for this year and for the next ten years, including armed support, financial, political, and joint arms production.”
Last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that the purpose of the bilateral security deals was to lock in long-term support for Ukraine to ensure it would be difficult for a future president to exit.
Last week, President Biden signed a bill into law authorizing another $61 billion in spending on the proxy war, and the US announced new weapons packages totaling $7 billion. Despite the new aid, Zelensky still pleaded for more weapons and faster deliveries in his nightly address, which he delivered after speaking with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the top Democrat in the House.
“We are still waiting for the supplies promised to Ukraine – we expect exactly the volume and content of supplies that can change the situation on the battlefield in the interests of Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “And it is important that every agreement we have reached is implemented – everything that will yield practical results on the battlefield and boost the morale of everyone on the frontline. In a conversation with Mr. Jeffries, I emphasized the need for Patriot systems, they are needed as soon as possible.”
Zelensky also called for Ukraine to be accepted into the EU and for an invitation to join NATO. “We are also preparing for the NATO Summit to be held this summer. A strong political signal is needed – the Alliance should not be afraid of its own strength or shy away from its own foundations – every country that shares common values and is willing to actually defend them deserves an invitation to join the Alliance,” he said.
The new US aid for Ukraine is not expected to help Ukraine achieve victory but is guaranteed to prolong the war, a bleak reality that was acknowledged by Ukrainians on the frontlines, who said they wanted negotiations and an end to the fighting in comments to The Daily Beast.
I’ll need 7 different sport cars, one for each day of the week; a much bigger yacht; and…
Nvm, Zelensky just wants drugs.
Russia said the EU is fine for Ukraine, just not NATO. So, I assume Russia will aim to take more, now.
“Best money ever spent.”
Ukraine WILL be a member of NATO eventually. Russia will be relegated to “backwater” status (not far from that now, BTW).
The parasitic Guinea Worm, a scourge on the world, was nearly eliminated in Africa–only to reappear in Ukraine. The worm rarely sucks the life completely out of its benefactor, but leaves it severely debilitated, non-functional. But still, likely, able to ooze out $$ to its parasite.
The Clown Zelensky thinks he will be around in 10 years.
Zelensky’s days are numbered. In 60 days or 120 days either his own troops will deal with him or the CIA will if they don’t!
The deal is between Ukraine and the US not tied to Zelenskyy personally.
So, after Ukraine capitulates to Russia, the US will continue sending money (to Russia)?
No because Ukraine will cease to be a country in that scenario.
Zelensky is right, Ukraine, US and Israel share common values
too broad
Zelensky, Biden, and Netanyahu (,and Rishi Sunak) seem to share common values
Too narrow
Of those four, only Netanyahu can decide anything of importance. Political-financial elites of those countries share common values and the people follow their political elites.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Like Ukraine will exist past this year.
You said essentially the same thing last year.
And the year before that.
Hey, maybe sooner or later you’ll be right.
Russia seems intent on sending in conscripts. So, it might fully control the areas it has claimed, soon. That’s just my impression.
Russia never claimed west Ukrainian territories as prospective part of Russian Federation. So, it looks, something of Ukraine will be left unless other neighbors take it.
Russian conscripts don’t participate in the war; only volunteers and professional militaries.
Where in the Hell did they find a Demon like Zelensky? …Oh. …Never mind. …I answered my own question.
Where in hell did we find a dangerous idiot like Biden?
Sounds like you answered your own question as well
The Question is pilgrim why do we vote for them .
https://strategic-culture.su/news/2024/04/29/the-interlocking-of-strategic-paradigms/
Alastair Crooke
Interesting article and an addition to my favorite links list. Thanks.
Oh boy, another Israel. At least Ukraine will know the limits to which any future aid will be jeopardized. Genocide isn’t one of them.
Here is what happens when Joey Biden or NATO pokes the bear AKA Russia. America’s options are very limited. FJB AND HIS PUPPET obama.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hOoLVPXWAEw
https://www.newsweek.com/russian-losses-ukraine-war-artillery-apvs-tanks-1894934
First paragraph.
Russia reportedly lost dozens more pieces of military equipment in a single day over the weekend, according to new figures posted by Ukraine.
Must be true.
Yes. I usually rely on Russian information because it’s so much more accurate.
I rely on neither. Try it.
I don’t buy that. You spout Russian MOD propaganda on a fairly regular basis.
My profile is wide open. Go find something that proves that. You can’t.
Oh, I have to PROVE you spew Russian propaganda. That’s not how it works.
Yes that is how it works with assertions. You claim, you prove. I know that this is not how it works in American political discourse where any claim that is aligned with US propaganda is itself proof and any claim that isn’t is proof of subversion.
So for people who continuously self-indoctrinate with the omnipresent Western propaganda system whenever there is a breach of the soothing monotony it must be of a nefarious source. That is logic to them.
Ah, and Russian propaganda does not exist. Grow up.
They undoubtedly would like to, but this is one area where they cannot hope to compete. And so they’re wise enough to not waste the energy. You could say they opt to create the facts instead of the propaganda. And it seems to work very well for them. The Western propaganda system is absolutely dominating, it is v ery well organized, extremely disciplined and very intolerant of sincere dissent beyond the Overton window. But is in many ways it is also a double edged sword. It encourages a hubristic attitude, a blindness for own weaknesses, unrealistic estimations of possibilities and abilities and if unchecked and not matched with reality to a minimum extent, as it is, ultimately a self-defeating proposition. Then this entire thing is extremely repetitive because there is no self-correcting mechanism in place.
That’s an amazing word-salad.
Well, a great many things go beyond your understanding. And probably even more beyond your will to understand.
How do I prove I don’t? If you accuse me of spewing Russian propaganda, it’s on YOU to prove it. My profile is open, have at it or shut up.
If it was a 20 year deal it still won`t save the asses of the Ukrainian Nazis , i have followed this war from day one i wish the Russians well in their endeavours to save the Russian people from Western backed war criminals .
Raytheon and the other manufacturers of death should be happy to see their short-term future is secure. But there’s one big question here: in 10 years, will either the US or Ukraine still be around?
It seems to me that Zelensky does not have the Constitutional authority to sign ANY deal after May 20th when his term expires, and Biden doesn’t have the Constitutional authority his sign a treaty without the consent of the U.S. Senate.
According to the Ukrainian constitution elections cannot be held while under martial law so Zelenskyy’s constitutional authority does not end in May.
Biden has to get the approval of 2/3 of the senate however – but then the last bill for aid to Ukraine passes 79 to 18 so with more than 3/4 support.
A ten-month deal would be too optimistic. All of majority-Russian Ukraine will soon be free and will be part of the far richer Russia, leaving the gangster state Ukraine which never recovered after Soviet times. These areas were never “Ukrainian” except on Soviet paper. Russia will also free majority-Russian Nikolaev and Odessa along the coast.
The rest of Ukraine will be allowed to use the port as long as they don’t shell civilians for seven years again, or build up an army larger than that of Germany and France combined to invade Donbass, or seek to station NATO nukes on their border. Or host a string of CIA bases on the border to spy on Russian communications and nuclear facilities.
A ten year cooperation? Russia took Avdiivka from the Kiev regime, the most fortified area in the region, and has kept expanding westward from there, taking village after village. They took the hill-top village Ochoretyne in just one day when the Ukrainians were too weak to stop them and fled.
They will soon take Chasiv Yar west of Bakhmut as well – videos show their jets flying low over Chasiv Yar with no resistance. There has been a rapid increase of surrenders on the Ukrainian side, even officers arranging for large units to surrender.
All of these towns and villages are packed tightly together, like in the German Ruhr area, because they are in the Ukraine-occupied part of Donbass, the region with a densely packed population to extract all the minerals. The Ukrainians always hide in buildings as they don’t care if the homes are destroyed, since the homes belong to Russian civilians. When Russia gets through this area it’s open fields to the Dniepr, where they will probably stop as they have no interest in the Ukrainian-speaking areas west of the Dniepr, contrary to leftist claims about how conservative Russia wants to take land.
The Ukrainians were mocking the people in Donbass for seven years after the Biden-financed coup, posting “memes” online about dead Russian civilians as the U.S.-supplied artillery destroyed apartment buildings in Donetsk every week. They stole the pensions from the old people in Donbass and Crimea, and cut off electricity, water and wheat imports. But let these criminals have their own value-less state.
Donbass is the most valuable area in Ukraine, which upheld the entire Ukrainian economy in the 1990s, and it has always been Russian. Donbass will soon be completely free, and the western part will be rebuilt like Mariupol already has been. And hopefully all those Ukrainians who have been killing civilians in Donetsk with artillery for nine years now, even last week with U.S. shells, won’t be allowed to escape.
So, how long until Russia fully controls the 4 oblasts it has claimed?
So, how long until Ukraine cuts the Kerch Bridge?
https://twitter.com/FRHoffmann1/status/1784229060069208555?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1784229075437093125|twgr^adeec50379feb69c0dbd7bfb3afee3b0ef2347cb|twcon^s2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstories%2F2024%2F4%2F28%2F2237787%2F-Russian-stuff-blowing-up-Can-ATACMS-take-down-the-Kerch-Bridge
You all are self-flagellating because the new weapons haven’t arrived yet. Enjoy yourselves for now. We’ll talk again soon.
Yes, maybe then they’ll be back to a stalemate. The previous $112 billion did what?
Saved Ukraine from annihilation.
Not that Russia had any intention of annihilating Ukraine, but if it took $112 billion to prevent that, how is the additional $61 billion going to do anything but take more Ukrainian lives and destroy more Ukrainian territory?
You are wrong. Putin STILL wants that. (See: Russian MOD propaganda.)
Back to Putin. When you can’t refute what I say, it’s back to Putin wanting to take over the world. Now, back to my actual point/question. Tell me how the additional $61 billion is going to make a difference after admitting that the $112 billion did nothing more than prevent an annihilation. Or are you good with the previous status quo of a stalemate? And that’s assuming the $61 billion can achieve that.
If $112 Billion destroyed 2/3 of the Russian military, $61 Billion will get the next 1/3. Then, the next $X Billion we give them will get the next X amount of Russian equipment/personnel. That’s how war works. The Russians can stop it at any time. (You have to admit, each new cache of NATO weapons includes better quality weapons. Eventually, the Germans may give them Taurus’)
That’s hilarious. You’re embarrassing yourself. My question is why they would Ukraine need $X billion more? Aren’t you good at math? 2/3 + 1/3 = 1. Russia won’t have a military left.
In other words, the plan is for another endless war to keep the MIC in the money and the gov. in campaign donation. So, what’s new??
If we had a democracy, we could vote out this scheme.
Give Russia the shell of Ukraine and let them rebuild it and pay for government and pensions. This is ridiculous to plan a war for 10 years. Forcing 60 year old men from other countries in Europe to come back and meet their gruesome deaths is psychopathic.
Negotiate Ukraine as neutral, let the west go with Germany or Poland and east be autonomous.
Free trade with the EU and Russia, no NATO.
No NATO means the end of American control of Europe , controlling Europe is vital to America other wise they face yet another competitor on their door step and as we all know America dosen`t like competition hence for ever wars .
It’s sheer ego and insanity driven at this point .
Basically, that is what Russia sought in 1991.
Yeah you cast your vote and they do as they please , just like here in Britain a unelected house of Lords paid £365 per day for doing their best to deny the British people what they want .
We have always been at war with Eurasia!
Oh look who’s pigging out and building new McMansions in northern Virginia lol. From today’s WSJ: “It has also translated into buoyant cash flow for defense companies. The fierce debate over the latest funding round has also reignited criticism over how profits from elevated weapons sales are used as companies direct billions into share buybacks. Lockheed and RTX bought back $19 billion in stock between them last year. Lockheed repurchased another $1 billion in the first quarter, with Northrop Grumman buying back almost $350 million and General Dynamics more than $100 million.”
Symbolic gestures, well they have their use too. I like that it’s being seriously reported by actual grown ups that bilateral deals with the US have an expiration date beyond the next quirk of even a single US administration. They might linger a little longer on any failed policy but all is going down the memory hole. Or I might be wrong and Afghanistan is a democracy where an overshoot of feminism is the main problem in public life.
If they desire to have any future at all, the Ukrainians better start doing like the Israeli do and buy themselves a few American political parties, two will do.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
Permanent funding for Ukraine is exactly what they want and Mike Johnson will give it to them.
Peace is not an option for them because it doesn’t fit the government appropriations war business and economic model, which is vile and disgusting.
They’re plan is keep funding the proxy war with Russia in Ukraine and when that doesn’t work, after all the Ukrainian men have been slaughtered, next they will put American troops on the ground.
Johnson will do whatever Biden/Schumer want in order to keep the Speaker’s gavel in his hand, but he has completely sold out the Republican voters who gave us the majority.
His days as Speaker are numbered.