Zelensky Declares Absence of Explicit Security Pledge from European Partners
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine's partners in Europe have not given him sound guarantees that they will protect his country in the event of a new Russian aggression.
"I am asking this very question to all our partners and I have not received a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he told reporters on midweek.
These remarks follow a day after the UK and France signed a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to end the war with Russia is agreed.
However, comprehensive defense assurances have yet to be solidified. The United States, which has been leading efforts to end the invasion, was reported to have abstained from signing such a commitment at talks in Paris on the previous day.
Details of the Paris Talks
Following the negotiations in Paris, which included some three dozen nations that comprise the so-called Coalition of the Willing, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "set up operational bases across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while French President Emmanuel Macron subsequently indicated thousands of troops may be deployed.
Allies proposed that the US 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 continuing to be negotiated.
The Russian government has thus far remained silent on the declaration made in the city of Paris.
President Putin initiated a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow now occupies about 20% of Ukraine's land.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
Sir Keir described the joint statement as "an essential component of our dedication to support Ukraine for the long-term".
He continued: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could function on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the years to come."
The Ukrainian leader praised that accord as a "huge step forward".
Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I see the will, the political will, 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 European countries would come to Ukraine's aid.
"But as long as we don't have such binding security pacts - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, supported by the United States Congress - this crucial issue remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend primarily on your inherent capabilities."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
The Paris talks were also significant due to the presence of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff said the participating countries "largely finished" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Recently, Zelensky said a settlement was "ninety percent complete".
Territorial concessions and defense pledges have been at the forefront of outstanding matters for diplomats.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops 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 relinquishing any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an agreed point - but only if Russia did the same.
Moscow now holds about three-quarters of the Donetsk region, and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the Donbas industrial heartland.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - with a focus on power facilities. Russia has also made incremental advances in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at Russian targets with unmanned aerial vehicles, though with varying degrees of effectiveness.
