Ukraine and Luxembourg Begin Talks on Bilateral Defense and Security Agreement.

Ukraine and Luxembourg have begun discussions on a bilateral security agreement during a meeting held on May 14, 2024, focusing on defense cooperation and Luxembourg’s long-term support for Ukraine. This announcement was made by the official website of the President of Ukraine.
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Ukraine and Luxembourg have begun discussions on a bilateral security and defense agreement. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

During the meeting, the two parties worked on the draft agreement, discussed key provisions, and agreed on the next steps. They reported significant progress towards finalizing the document. The Ukrainian delegation is led by Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, with his deputy Ihor Zhovkva overseeing today’s session. "We are grateful to Luxembourg for its consistent support and leadership, particularly in areas such as co-chairing the IT coalition, military aid, and supporting Ukraine’s EU and NATO applications. I am confident that these efforts will be reflected in our security agreement," said Zhovkva.

Luxembourg has demonstrated ongoing solidarity with Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022. In 2023, Luxembourg allocated nearly 90 million euros to military aid for Ukraine, representing 17% of its defense budget. In addition to military assistance, Luxembourg has provided substantial humanitarian aid, including a donation of 4 million euros to United Nations agencies and Luxembourgish NGOs active in Ukraine.

At the local level, Luxembourgish municipalities have also offered support by hosting Ukrainian refugees and organizing solidarity initiatives such as donation drives and renaming streets to show their support for Ukraine. The Luxembourgish cultural sector has also contributed by organizing events to raise funds and awareness about the situation in Ukraine.

Civil society in Luxembourg, including organizations like LUkraine asbl, has been active in providing direct support to Ukrainian refugees and organizing fundraising campaigns to aid efforts in Ukraine. In October 2022, LUkraine asbl launched a campaign to raise funds for purchasing emergency vehicles for Ukraine, raising more than 551,000 euros by the end of the year.

Luxembourg's aid to Ukraine is quite significant considering the size and capabilities of the country, and Ukrainians will undoubtedly cite Luxembourg as an example when looking at the share of defense spending dedicated to aid for Ukraine.

On May 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden discussed the bilateral security agreement during a phone conversation. Ukraine has already signed security agreements with nine countries, with Latvia being the most recent, and Norway expected to sign an agreement soon. In May, President Zelenskyy announced that seven other security agreements are underway, including one with the United States. Spanish media reported that Ukraine and Spain will also sign a security agreement this week.