The European Union has agreed to a long-term security agreement with Ukraine to provide military, financial, diplomatic and humanitarian assistance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal Thursday during a visit to Brussels where he met with European leaders Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen. Zelensky’s trip came one day after the European Union formally opened accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. The process of joining the EU could take years or even decades.

Meanwhile, CNN is reporting the Biden administration is preparing to lift a de facto ban on Pentagon contractors deploying to Ukraine that’s been in place since Russia’s 2022 invasion. The policy shift would bring U.S. military personnel closer to a direct confrontation with Russia while speeding the work of technicians who maintain and repair U.S.-provided weapons, including F-16 fighter jets.