Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky States He Lacks Explicit Defense Guarantee from Allies
President Zelensky has stated that Ukraine's partners in Europe have failed to provide concrete pledges that they will protect his country in the event of a future Russian attack.
"I am asking this very question to every one of our allies and I have not received a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he told reporters on Wednesday.
His comments come a day after Britain and France inked a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to conclude the conflict with Moscow is reached.
However, comprehensive defense assurances have not been agreed. The United States, which has been spearheading initiatives to halt the offensive, reportedly did not sign such a commitment at discussions held in the French capital on Tuesday.
Details of the Paris Talks
After the Paris talks, which included some three dozen nations that form the group termed the 'Coalition of the Willing', British PM Keir Starmer said the two nations would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while French President Emmanuel Macron later said a significant number of soldiers may be deployed.
Allies proposed that the US would assume a leading role in overseeing any ceasefire. But the key issue of territorial concessions 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 declaration made in the French capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Russian forces now occupies about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
The President's Evolving Stance
Sir Keir described the bilateral declaration as "an essential component of our dedication to stand with Ukraine for the long-term".
He continued: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could operate on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the years to come."
The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement 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 partners are ready, and the partners are ready to give us robust economic measures, strong security guarantees," he said when asked if nations in Europe would defend Ukraine.
"However, until we don't have such security guarantees - legally binding, supported by parliaments, 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
Negotiations in Paris were also significant due to the presence of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the participating countries "largely finished" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Recently, Zelensky said a peace deal was "90% ready".
Questions of land and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Moscow will take control, rejecting any compromise over how to end the war.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an agreed point - but only if Russia did the same.
Russian forces currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the Donbas industrial heartland.
Attacks have been escalating against Ukrainian cities - with a focus on power facilities. Moscow is also achieving slow progress in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at objectives inside Russia with drones, though with varying degrees of effectiveness.
