Zelensky and U.S. Collaborating on 10-Year Support Deal for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address on Sunday that he is working on an agreement with U.S. leaders that would provide military, financial, and political support for Ukraine for the next 10 years.

Last week, Congress passed a bipartisan foreign aid package that appropriates an additional $61 billion to help Ukraine in its war effort against Russia, and the legislation was promptly approved by President Joe Biden. In his speech over the weekend, Zelensky specifically thanked U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) along with “all” U.S. congressmen “for their support of our country and personal leadership in advancing a new package of assistance to Ukraine.”

“Also, our teams, Ukraine and the United States, are currently working on a bilateral security agreement, and we are already working on a specific text. Our goal is to make this agreement the strongest of all,” the Ukrainian president said. “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.”

Zelenksy added that in a conversation with Jeffries, he pressed for the U.S. to provide Patriot missiles to Ukraine “as soon as possible.” The Pentagon said last week that it would “rush” to get the surface-to-air missiles delivered to Ukraine.

“The agreement should be truly exemplary and reflect the strength of American leadership,” Zelensky continued. “I am grateful to both our team and the team of the American side for the progress in drafting the agreement.”

The U.S. currently ranks first in the world in total military and financial allocations for Ukraine, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Ukraine has received more than $43 billion in military aid and over $21 billion in financial assistance from the U.S.

Germany, the second-biggest military supporter of Ukraine, has committed nearly $10 billion.

The aid package for Ukraine wasn’t fully supported by Congress as some hard-line conservatives opposed the continued funding of the European country, arguing that the U.S. needs to focus on protecting its own southern border. Former President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said earlier this month that Ukraine’s survival is important for the U.S., but added that European nations must do more to help their neighbor.

“Why isn’t Europe giving more money to help Ukraine? Why is it that the United States is over $100 Billion Dollars into the Ukraine War more than Europe, and we have an Ocean between us as separation! Why can’t Europe equalize or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need?” Trump asked earlier this month.

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“As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!” he added. “In addition, I am the only one who speaks for ‘ME’ and, while it is a total mess caused by Crooked Joe Biden and the Incompetent Democrats, if I were President, this War would have never started!”