Ukraine starts negotiations with Italy on security guarantees

This is stated on the website of the Office of the President. 

The consultations began on the instructions of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak. The Ukrainian negotiating team was headed by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva.

"Ukraine has already started bilateral consultations with all G7 countries, including Italy. It is Italy that will be the presiding state in the G7 next year. We appreciate the significant contribution of our Italian friends to defending Ukraine and bringing our common victory closer. The provision of security guarantees to Ukraine by Italy will be an important step towards our country's membership in the EU and NATO," Zhovkva said. 

During the consultations, the parties agreed on a schedule of further communication and discussed approaches to the content and format of the future bilateral agreement.

Declaration on Security Assurances for Ukraine

On July 12, 2023, the G7 countries agreed on a joint declaration that sets out the parameters of security guarantees for Ukraine. The agreement will be open to anyone. US President Joe Biden said that the declaration included support for Ukraine in the short and long term.

On the same day, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden joined the declaration. Subsequently, Spain, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal also joined.

On July 18, during a debate at the UN General Assembly, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kyiv wants all UN countries to consider joining the declaration. 

On July 25, Romania decided to join the G7 declaration in support of Ukraine, presented on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

On August 3, Ukraine began negotiations with the United States on security guarantees.

The second country with which Ukraine began negotiations on a bilateral agreement on security guarantees was the United Kingdom. Negotiations with London began on August 11.

On August 12, Greece joined the declaration, and on August 15, North Macedonia joined. 

On Wednesday, August 16, Bulgaria's Council of Ministers decided to join the G7 declaration, and Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined a day later. 

On August 18, 25 countries already joined the G7 declaration, which provides security guarantees for Ukraine.

Later, Kosovo and Cyprus announced their readiness to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine. 

On October 4, Dmytro Kuleba agreed with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström to begin negotiations on a security guarantee agreement in accordance with the G7 Vilnius Declaration.