Bari (Italy), June 14: The Presidents of the US and Ukraine have signed an agreement laying out Washington's long-term security relationship with Kiev on the sidelines of the G7 in southern Italy on Thursday.

US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the bilateral deal that comes after 15 countries concluded similar long-term security agreements with Kiev including Britain, France and Germany.

Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday that the agreement would not include the obligation for Washington to deploy US troops to Ukraine, nor would it contain commitments to supply specific weapons systems.

The agreement broadly regulates cooperation between the two countries at all possible levels, including with regard to military equipment, training and manoeuvres.

At the same time, Ukraine is called upon to implement various reforms in the areas of justice, law enforcement and fighting corruption, but also in military capabilities and structures to achieve NATO standards in the future.

As expected, the agreement does not contain any commitments to deploy American armed forces for the defence of Ukraine. Biden has always categorically ruled this out - despite recent appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron to send military trainers there.

Washington says the aim is rather to enable Ukraine to continue to defend itself. The agreement also makes no promises to supply specific weapons systems.

The US government interpreted the agreement with Kiev as a message to Moscow, notably that it is committed to continued and longer-term support for Ukraine.

--IANS/DPA

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