Zelensky Declares He Lacks Explicit Security Pledge from European Partners
President Zelensky has stated that Ukraine's partners in Europe have not given him sound guarantees that they will protect his country in the case of a fresh offensive by Russia.
"I am asking this very question to every one of our allies and I have not received a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he stated to the press on midweek.
His comments come a day after Britain and France signed a statement of purpose on stationing forces 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 leading efforts to end the invasion, reportedly did not sign such a commitment at talks in Paris on Tuesday.
Details of the Paris Talks
After the Paris talks, which included some three dozen nations that comprise 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 later said a significant number of soldiers may be deployed.
Partner nations suggested that the US would take the lead in monitoring a truce. But the central sticking point of ceding land that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as part of the peace proposals are still being discussed.
The Russian government has not yet commented on the announcement made in the city of Paris.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Moscow now occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
The President's Evolving Stance
The UK Prime Minister characterized the joint statement as "an essential component of our dedication 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 Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the years to come."
Zelensky hailed that accord as a "significant leap of progress".
Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I perceive the determination, 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 European countries would defend Ukraine.
"But as long as we lack such binding security pacts - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend primarily on your inherent capabilities."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
Negotiations in Paris were also notable due to the presence of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the allies "mostly completed" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Last week, the President indicated a peace deal was "90% ready".
Territorial concessions and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for diplomats.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the entirety of the Donbas region or Russia will seize it, rejecting any compromise over how to conclude hostilities.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an established line - but only if Russia reciprocated the action.
Russian forces currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region, and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions form the industrial Donbas region.
It has been intensifying attacks against Ukrainian cities - particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Russia has also made slow progress in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at Russian targets with unmanned aerial vehicles, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.
