Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Asserts Absence of Clear Defense Guarantee from Partner Nations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine's partners in Europe have not given him solid assurances that they will defend Ukraine in the case of a new Russian aggression.
"I am asking this very question to all our partners and I have not received a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he stated to the press on Wednesday.
These remarks follow a day after Britain and France inked a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to conclude the conflict with Moscow is finalized.
However, comprehensive defense assurances have not been agreed. The US, which has been leading efforts to end the invasion, was reported to have abstained from signing such a pledge at discussions held in the French capital on Tuesday.
Outcomes from the Paris Discussions
Following the negotiations in Paris, which included some three dozen nations that comprise the group termed the 'Coalition of the Willing', British PM Keir Starmer said the two nations would "set up operational bases across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated thousands of troops may be sent.
Allies proposed that the US would take the lead in monitoring a truce. But the central sticking point of ceding land that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as a component of the settlement terms are continuing to be negotiated.
Moscow has not yet commented on the announcement made in the city of Paris.
Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukraine's land.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
The UK Prime Minister characterized the bilateral declaration as "an essential component of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the long-term".
He continued: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the future."
Zelensky hailed that accord as a "significant leap of progress".
Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I see the will, the political resolve, and that the allies are prepared, and the partners are ready to give us strong sanctions, strong security guarantees," he said when questioned if nations in Europe would defend Ukraine.
"However, until we don't have such security guarantees - formally ratified, endorsed by legislatures, supported by the United States Congress - this question remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend first and foremost on your inherent capabilities."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
Negotiations in Paris were also notable owing to the presence of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
One envoy stated the allies "mostly completed" their work on finalizing security arrangements.
Last week, Zelensky said a settlement was "90% ready".
Territorial concessions and defense pledges have been at the center of outstanding matters for diplomats.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's military must pull back from the entirety of the Donbas region or Moscow will take control, rejecting any compromise over how to end the war.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected relinquishing any land, but has suggested 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 oblast, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The two regions constitute the Donbas industrial heartland.
Attacks have been escalating against Ukrainian cities - particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Russia has also made slow progress in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine has hit back at objectives inside Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.
