4:59 p.m. ET, August 11, 2023
Ukraine and UK start talks on security guarantees
From CNN'sYulia Kesaieva, Radina Gigova and Mariya Knight
Ukraine and the United Kingdom have begun “initial working-level negotiations” on security guarantees, Ukraine’s Presidential Office said in a statement on Friday.
The countries are using the
Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine signed by countries of the G7 last month as a basis for the negotiations, according to the office.
“The United Kingdom became the second country after the United States with which Ukraine started relevant negotiations,” the statement read, noting “the United Kingdom has consistently demonstrated its leadership and example in making and implementing the boldest decisions to support Ukraine.”
Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, who is leading the Ukrainian delegation in the negotiations, called the UK “one of the main strategic partners.” He added that the negotiations are aimed at strengthening the countries’ “common security in the entire Euro-Atlantic region.”
Yermak said Ukraine already has agreements to start consultations with almost all of the countries that have joined the declaration on security guarantees.
The United Kingdom is the second country after the United States with which Ukraine has started relevant negotiations, according to the statement.
Some background on the declaration: The Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine was announced on July 12, 2023, by the G7 leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US, as well as the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission.
Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Latvia have asked to be added as signatories to the declaration, according to the statement.