Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky States He Lacks Clear Defense Guarantee from Allies
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 continue to pose this critical question to all our partners and thus far, the answer remains elusive a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he told reporters on Wednesday.
These remarks follow a day after Britain and France signed a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to conclude the conflict with Moscow is reached.
However, full security guarantees have not been agreed. The US, which has been leading efforts to halt the offensive, reportedly did not sign such a commitment at talks in Paris on the previous day.
Details of the Paris Talks
Following the negotiations in Paris, which included some 30 countries 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 prevent any future incursion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated thousands of troops may be sent.
Partner nations suggested that the US would assume a leading role in monitoring a truce. But the central sticking point of territorial concessions that Ukraine is being pressured to offer to Russia as a component of the settlement terms are continuing to be negotiated.
The Russian government has not yet commented on the declaration made in the French capital.
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 joint statement as "a vital part of our dedication to support Ukraine for the long-term".
He continued: "It establishes the pathway for the legal framework under which British, French and partner forces could function on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the future."
The Ukrainian leader praised that accord as a "significant leap of progress".
Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I perceive the determination, the political resolve, and that the partners are ready, and the partners are ready to give us strong sanctions, strong security guarantees," he said when questioned if European countries would defend Ukraine.
"But as long as we lack such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question remains unresolved. And even if they do, you must ultimately depend first and foremost on your own strength."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
The Paris talks were also notable due to the presence of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the allies "largely finished" their work on finalizing security arrangements.
Last week, the President indicated a peace deal was "90% ready".
Questions of land and defense pledges have been at the forefront of outstanding matters for negotiators.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, 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 reciprocated the action.
Moscow currently controls about three-quarters of the Donetsk oblast, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts constitute the Donbas industrial heartland.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - with a focus on energy infrastructure. Russia has also made incremental advances in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine has hit back at objectives inside Russia with drones, though with more limited success.
