Ukraine wins EU security deal as Zelenskyy joins leaders’ summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement for a long-term security commitment with the European Union as western allies pledge to maintain military and political support for Kyiv.

The documents will formalize a raft of EU initiatives to support the war-torn nation, including arms deliveries, training Ukrainian troops, de-mining as well cooperation in tackling cyber and hybrid threats. No new pledges are expected from the 27-member bloc.

“This is, yet again, another sign of how the EU countries are united in supporting Ukraine in its fight against a brutal attack by Russia,” Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters in Brussels on Thursday. “We will support with whatever means possible.”

More than a dozen countries, including EU member states, have forged similar bilateral deals as Kyiv seeks to repel Russia’s invasion, now in its third year.

Earlier this month, the U.S. became the latest nation to enter into a security agreement with Ukraine as President Joe Biden pledged that western allies were not “backing down” from their support.

Zelenskyy’s visit to Brussels comes as a summit meeting brings together the 27 EU leaders to discuss aid to Ukraine, as well as the situation in the Middle East and the bloc’s defense strategy. The leaders are expected to sign off on the key appointments to EU top jobs.

The EU on Tuesday formally opened negotiations with Ukraine over its membership in the bloc, an important symbolic step in a process that will take years to play out.

Hungary had been blocking the move, citing concerns including the protection of Hungarian minorities in Ukraine, a longstanding demand that Brussels and Kyiv insist has been addressed.

Budapest has repeatedly tried to slow-walk EU decisions to provide support to Ukraine or impose new sanctions on Russia before eventually falling in line with the rest of the bloc.