PRESS RELEASE : A package of recommendations on security guarantees for Ukraine prepared by the Yermak-Rasmussen Group was presented to the President [September 2011]

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 13 September 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the co-chairs of the International Working Group on Security Guarantees for Ukraine – Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. They presented to the Head of State the recommendations developed by the Group regarding future security guarantees for Ukraine, which should become the basis of a document called the Kyiv Security Compact.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Yermak-Rasmussen International Working Group for developing this package of recommendations.

“I studied this document in detail. I believe that it is prepared at a high level. This is the first yet crucially important step. These recommendations should become the basis of the future security compact,” he said.

The Head of State believes the expert group should continue its work and complete this project.

According to the President, it is extremely important that the leaders of the world’s major powers sign the future compact. It is worth focusing on those countries that demonstrated strong support for Ukraine after the start of a full-scale war with Russia.

Andriy Yermak noted that the basis of the presented proposals is the idea of creating a coalition of security guarantors of Ukraine, which should be based on a system of agreements combined in the framework of a joint document on strategic partnership.

“We expect that the Kyiv Security Compact will unite the key group of allied countries and Ukraine. This group of guarantor states may consist of the US, Great Britain, Canada, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Australia, Türkiye, as well as the countries of Northern Europe and the Baltic region, Central and Eastern Europe,” he said.

The Head of the Office of the President noted that, in addition to the main, single agreement for all, bilateral agreements may be concluded between Ukraine and individual guarantor states, which should regulate detailed aspects of relations between the countries in matters of security support.

For his part, Anders Fogh Rasmussen thanked Andriy Yermak and all the experts involved in the Group for their productive work.

He congratulated the Ukrainian state, its people and the Armed Forces on the success currently observed at the front.

“We see that one of the best guarantees is to ensure that Ukraine has a significant military force capable of withstanding any attack,” said Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

The former Secretary General of NATO emphasized that the Kyiv Security Compact will differ significantly from the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.

“It is not about an obligation to refrain from some actions, on the contrary, it is an obligation to provide everything that Ukraine needs to ensure its defense,” explained Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the importance for Ukrainian society, the world and international organizations to know the difference between the future security document and the Budapest Memorandum.

“It should be a working effective mechanism,” he emphasized.

The President also asked Anders Fogh Rasmussen, if possible, to join the dialogue with the leaders of the states – future guarantors of Ukraine’s security, using his international authority.

The former Secretary General of NATO emphasized that he is ready to present the developed recommendations regarding future security guarantees for Ukraine in the major capitals of the world.