Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Asserts Absence of Explicit Security Pledge from Partner Nations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says European allies have not given him sound guarantees that they will protect his country in the case of a new Russian aggression.
"I am asking this very question to every one of our allies and I have not received a definitive and straightforward response yet," he told reporters on midweek.
His comments come a day after the UK and France signed a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to conclude the conflict with Moscow is finalized.
However, full security guarantees have yet to be solidified. The United States, which has been leading efforts to halt the offensive, reportedly did not sign such a commitment at discussions held in the French capital on the previous day.
Outcomes from the Paris Discussions
After the Paris talks, which included some three dozen nations that comprise the so-called Coalition of the Willing, British PM Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to prevent any future incursion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated a significant number of soldiers may be deployed.
Partner nations suggested that the United States would take the lead in overseeing any ceasefire. But the central sticking point of ceding land that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as part of the peace proposals are continuing to be negotiated.
The Russian government has thus far remained silent on the declaration made in the French capital.
President Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
The UK Prime Minister characterized the joint statement as "a vital part of our dedication to support Ukraine for the long-term".
He added: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could function on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the future."
Zelensky hailed that agreement as a "huge step forward".
A day later, however, he seemed more cautious.
"I see the will, the political will, and that the partners are ready, and the allies are willing to give us strong sanctions, powerful defense assurances," he said when asked if European countries would defend Ukraine.
"However, until we lack such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this crucial issue cannot be answered. And should they materialize, you still have to rely first and foremost on your inherent capabilities."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
Negotiations in Paris were also notable owing to the presence of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
One envoy stated the participating countries "largely finished" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Last week, Zelensky said a peace deal was "90% ready".
Questions of land and defense pledges have been at the forefront of outstanding matters for diplomats.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing potential concessions over how to end the war.
Zelensky has so far ruled out ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an agreed point - but provided that Russia did the same.
Russian forces now holds about three-quarters of the Donetsk region, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the Donbas industrial heartland.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - with a focus on energy infrastructure. Moscow is also achieving incremental advances in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine has hit back at Russian targets with unmanned aerial vehicles, albeit with more limited success.
