Zelensky Declares He Lacks Clear Defense Guarantee from European Partners
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says European allies have failed to provide concrete pledges that they will defend Ukraine in the case of a fresh offensive by Russia.
"I am asking this very question to all our partners and I have not received a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he told reporters on Wednesday.
These remarks follow a day after the UK and France signed a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement 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 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 form 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 deter future invasion, while French President Emmanuel Macron subsequently indicated thousands of troops may be deployed.
Partner nations suggested that the US would assume a leading role in overseeing any ceasefire. But the key issue 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.
President Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces now occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine's land.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
The UK Prime Minister characterized the joint statement as "an essential component of our dedication to stand with Ukraine for the long-term".
He added: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which allied military personnel could function on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the future."
The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement as a "significant leap of progress".
A day later, however, he seemed more cautious.
"I see the will, the political will, and that the allies are prepared, and the partners are ready to give us strong sanctions, strong security guarantees," he said when asked if nations in Europe would defend Ukraine.
"However, until we lack such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, supported by the United States Congress - this question cannot be answered. And should they materialize, you still have to rely first and foremost on your inherent capabilities."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
Negotiations in Paris were also notable owing to the presence of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff said the allies "largely finished" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Last week, Zelensky said a peace deal was "ninety percent complete".
Territorial concessions and defense pledges have been at the center of unresolved issues 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.
Zelensky has so far ruled out relinquishing any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an established line - but provided that Russia did the same.
Moscow now holds about 75% of the Donetsk region, and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The pair of oblasts constitute the Donbas industrial heartland.
Attacks have been escalating 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 drones, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.
