Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky States He Lacks Explicit Security Pledge from Allies
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine's partners in Europe have failed to provide solid assurances that they will protect his country in the case of a new Russian aggression.
"I continue to pose this critical question to all our partners and I have not received a definitive and straightforward response yet," he told reporters on Wednesday.
These remarks follow a day after the UK and France inked a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to conclude the conflict with Moscow is agreed.
However, full security guarantees have not been agreed. The United States, which has been spearheading initiatives to halt the offensive, was reported to have abstained from signing such a commitment at discussions held in the French capital on Tuesday.
Details of the Paris Talks
After the Paris talks, which included some 30 countries that comprise the group termed the 'Coalition of the Willing', UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to prevent any future incursion, while France's President Macron later said thousands of troops may be sent.
Allies proposed that the United States would assume a leading role in overseeing any ceasefire. But the central sticking point of ceding land that Ukraine is being pressured to offer to Russia as a component of the settlement terms are still being discussed.
Moscow has thus far remained silent on the announcement made in the French capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Moscow now occupies 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 support Ukraine for the long-term".
He continued: "It establishes the pathway for the legal framework under which allied military personnel could operate on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the years to come."
The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement as a "huge step forward".
A day later, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I perceive the determination, the political resolve, and that the allies are prepared, and the allies are willing to give us strong sanctions, powerful defense assurances," he said when asked if nations in Europe would come to Ukraine's aid.
"But as long as we don't have such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, supported by the United States Congress - this question cannot be answered. And even if they do, you must ultimately depend first and foremost on your inherent capabilities."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
Negotiations in Paris were also significant due to the presence of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff said the allies "mostly completed" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Last week, Zelensky said a peace deal was "ninety percent complete".
Questions of land and defense pledges have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukraine's military must withdraw from the entirety of the Donbas region or Moscow will take control, dismissing potential concessions over how to end the war.
Zelensky has so far ruled out ceding any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an established line - but only if 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 industrial Donbas region.
Attacks have been escalating against cities in Ukraine - particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Moscow is also achieving incremental advances in seizing additional Ukrainian land.
Ukraine has hit back at Russian targets with drones, though with varying degrees of effectiveness.
