Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Declares He Lacks Explicit Defense Guarantee from European Partners
President Zelensky has stated that European allies have failed to provide concrete pledges that they will protect his country in the case of a future Russian attack.
"I continue to pose this critical 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 signed a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to conclude the conflict with Moscow is finalized.
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 pledge at discussions held in the French capital on the previous day.
Outcomes from the Paris Discussions
Following the negotiations in Paris, 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 "set up operational bases across Ukraine" to prevent any future incursion, while French President Emmanuel Macron subsequently indicated a significant number of soldiers may be sent.
Allies proposed that the US 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.
Moscow has thus far remained silent on the declaration made in the French capital.
President Putin launched a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
The UK Prime Minister characterized the bilateral declaration as "an essential component of our commitment to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future".
He continued: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the future."
The Ukrainian leader praised that accord as a "huge step forward".
A day later, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I see the will, the political resolve, and that the allies are prepared, and the allies are willing to give us robust economic measures, powerful defense assurances," he said when questioned if European countries would defend Ukraine.
"But as long as we don't have such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend first and foremost on your own strength."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
Negotiations in Paris were also significant due to the presence of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the participating countries "largely finished" their work on finalizing security arrangements.
Last week, Zelensky said a settlement was "90% ready".
Questions of land and security guarantees have been at the forefront of outstanding matters for negotiators.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's military must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Moscow will take control, dismissing potential concessions over how to end the war.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected ceding any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an agreed point - but provided that Russia did the same.
Russian forces currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region, and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions form the Donbas industrial heartland.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - particularly targeting power facilities. Moscow is also achieving slow progress in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at Russian targets with unmanned aerial vehicles, albeit with more limited success.
