Remarks by President Biden on the Ukraine Compact

Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.

5:40 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, I’m sure my fellow leaders are tired of hearing from all of us, but we had an important thing to do today, and it’s a way to close this conference.

Good afternoon, everyone.

When Putin launched his brutal war over two years ago, I promised President Zelenskyy the United States and our allies and our partners would stand with him for the people of Ukraine as they defended their country.

Since then, all of you — all my fellow leaders — we built a global coalition to support Ukraine, supplied economic and humanitarian support, supplied weapons that Ukraine needs to defend itself.

And two days ago, I announced a historic donation of air defense equipment to protect Ukrainian cities, troops, and — from Russian missiles.

And here today, with all these important people behind me, we take another important step in our collective support for Ukraine.  We refer to it as the “Ukraine Compact,” and here’s how it works.

Last year, the G7 nations signed into a decl- — signed on to a declaration to protect Ukraine long term, not just for the duration of this war but beyond, after they win.  Twenty-five additional countries quickly joined them and pledged to negotiate and sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine.

Now, one year later, more than 20 companies pl- — coun- –countries plus the European Union have completed and signed these agreements.  And more countries are finalizing theirs as we speak.

This compact brings all those countries together in a unified, coordinated, and comprehensive architecture to support Ukraine not just for now but for years in the future.

In the short term, we’ll continue to supply Ukraine with the weapons and munitions and training they need to repel Russian forces.

In the medium term, we’ll help build a future force that has the strength and the capabilities both to defend Ukraine and deter further aggression.

In the long term, after this war is over, if Putin ever tries it again, all the countries that endorsed the compact have pledged to have Ukraine’s back just like we have it now.

You heard me say it before: We’re building a bridge to NATO for Ukraine, a pathway leading to an — an eventual membership as they continue to implement important domestic reforms.

This compact, which is on the stage here, is a central piece of that bridge.

What happens to Ukraine matters.  It matters to all of Europe.  It matters to NATO.  Quite frankly, it matters to the whole world.   

We’re united against Putin’s senseless and brutal war.  We are united behind Ukraine as it fights to defend its freedom and its future.  We’re united behind a vision of the world where free countries like Ukraine do not have to fear aggression from a brutal tyrant next door.

I want to commend Ukrainian fr- — armed forces, as their defense secretary and leaders are here as well, and the Ukrainian people.  You’re incredible.  And through all of your country, you’re incredible — their courage, the determination, the sacrifices they’ve made. 

And I commend all the nations that stepped up when it counted to stand with Ukraine.

As I’ve said before, Russia will not prevail in this war.  Ukraine will prevail in this war.  And we will stand with them every single step of the way.

That’s what the compact says loudly and clearly.

And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination.

Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin — (applause) — President Putin — he’s going to beat President Putin — President Zelenskyy.

I’m so focused on beating Putin, we got to worry about it.  Anyway, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY:  I’m better than that.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  You are a hell of a lot better.  (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY:  Thank you so much, Mr. President.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.

Thank you so much, Mr. President. 

Dear — dear our friends, friends of Ukraine, last year at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, we took a very strong step with a G7 declaration on security for Ukraine — for Ukrainian people.  And we did not waste time, and now we have a solid architecture of security guarantees.

I thank President Biden for his leadership and all the efforts to make our security cooperation full of strong actions.  There are 23 strong agreements, and there will be agreements with other countries.  And we have a historically significant security agreement with the United States. 

All of these helped us obtain the necessary air defense systems.  Thanks to — to America and to all the partners; to all the leaders and your societies, your people, of course.  And thanks to all partners for the Patriots and other air defense systems, provision of F-16s, and assistance so that our pe- — our people and our country could withstand Russian attacks on our energy sector as well as training, cybersecurity, intelligence cooperation, and the development of the defense industry.

This Ukraine Compact we are forming takes our relations to a new level — a significant achievement for Ukraine and all of us. 

Slava Ukraini.  (Applause.) 

5:46 P.M. EDT