The leaders of G7 countries – the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – signed a joint declaration, each vowing to provide Ukraine with “bilateral security commitments and arrangements”, last July in Lithuania on the sidelines of a NATO summit.

In its article on Saturday, Welt am Sonntag cited a confidential document that has allegedly been approved by representatives of EU member states. Terms are currently being discussed by EU diplomats and the Ukrainian government, the report claims.

The draft is said to direct that the “European Union and its member states contribute in a crucial fashion to Ukraine’s immediate and long-term security and resilience”. This will materialize in the form of “military and civilian aid, humanitarian, financial, trade and economic support”, Welt am Sonntag reports. Brussels appears also to have committed itself to “restrictive measures and diplomatic support” on behalf of Kiev.

In the event of future conflicts between Ukraine and Russia, the bloc’s member states have also pledged to hold consultations on Kiev’s needs within 24 hours, the article claims.

The document also rules out the deployment of EU member states’ militaries to Ukraine. Instead, the bloc will continue to supply Kiev with weaponry, to provide training to its troops, and to help in terms of demining and cyber-security, according to Welt am Sonntag.

It also suggests these arrangements are intended to remain in place until Ukraine joins the EU and NATO. The prospect of the latter development was cited by Russian President Vladimir Putin as one of the reasons for the start of military action against the neighboring state in February 2022. Moscow considers NATO’s eastward expansion to be a major national security threat.

In January, the UK signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, February seeing Germany and France following suit. These documents envisage support for “Ukraine’s accession to the EU and interoperability with NATO.

Speaking in late February, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated these agreements “don’t change anything in principle” and merely confirm the West’s involvement in the conflict. She also claimed that the so-called guarantees are not binding.

In the wake of the G7’s joint declaration last July, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned that the move was “potentially very dangerous” as it appeared to pave the way to NATO membership for Ukraine.

Kiev is overhauling its conscription system to boost troop numbers following a series of setbacks in its conflict with Moscow, with harsh reforms set to come into force next week.

“Globally speaking, starting on May 18, when the mobilization law comes into force, first of all, the approach to this war will change,” Lazutkin told Espresso TV on Saturday.

“This situation, when some people are fighting at the front lines, while others are living their quiet lives, is obviously coming to an end.”

Life in Kiev is “strikingly different” from the situation in the east of the country, which is “abnormal”.

“It would be normal if our enemy was weak. But with such an enemy, the whole country and the whole of society need to mobilize,” Lazutkin added.

Ukraine has been desperate to replace nearly half a million casualties – by Moscow’s estimates – since the outbreak of hostilities in February 2022. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said last week that Ukraine has lost more than 111,000 soldiers in 2024 alone.

Last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky enacted amendments to conscription rules, lowering the draft age to 25, automating draft notices and greatly expanding the powers of enlistment officers, while introducing assorted restrictions for draft dodgers.

The foreign ministry has suspended consular services for military-eligible Ukrainians abroad. Under the legislation, fines for violations of military registration rules will increase to $520, with Ukrainian authorities threatening to block bank accounts and impose restrictions on the property of those trying to avoid military service.

In response to the changes, there has been a surge in Ukrainian men seeking to flee the country. Border Service spokesman Andrey Demchenko recently stated that around 120-150 people are caught trying to illegally leave Ukraine every day, while some end up dying in such attempts.