The first round of consultations with Italy on concluding a bilateral agreement on security guarantees, as provided for in the G7 Joint Declaration on Support for Ukraine, started on the instructions of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak has said.

As reported on the presidential website on Tuesday, the Ukrainian negotiating group was headed by Deputy Head of the President's Office Ihor Zhovkva.

"Ukraine has already started bilateral consultations with all G7 countries, including Italy. It is Italy that will chair the G7 next year. We value the significant contribution of our Italian friends to the defense of Ukraine and the approach of common victory. Italy's provision of security guarantees to Ukraine will be an important step to bring our state closer to membership in the EU and NATO," he said.