Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky States Absence of Clear Defense Guarantee from Partner Nations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine's partners in Europe have not given him sound guarantees that they will defend Ukraine in the event 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 told reporters on Wednesday.
His comments come a day after Britain and France inked 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 yet to be solidified. The US, which has been spearheading initiatives to halt the offensive, reportedly did not sign such a commitment at talks in Paris on Tuesday.
Outcomes from the Paris Discussions
After the Paris talks, which included some 30 countries 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 thousands of troops may be sent.
Partner nations suggested that the United States would assume a leading role in overseeing any ceasefire. But the central sticking point of territorial concessions that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as a component of the settlement terms 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 full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow now occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine's land.
The President's Evolving Stance
Sir Keir described the bilateral declaration as "an essential component of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the long-term".
He added: "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 rebuilding Ukraine's military for the years to come."
The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement as a "huge step forward".
A day later, however, he seemed more cautious.
"I see the will, the political resolve, and that the partners are ready, and the allies are willing 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 lack such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this crucial issue remains unresolved. And even if they do, you must ultimately depend primarily on your own strength."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
Negotiations in Paris were also notable due to the attendance of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the allies "mostly completed" their work on finalizing security arrangements.
Recently, Zelensky said a peace deal was "90% ready".
Questions of land and security guarantees have been at the center of outstanding matters for diplomats.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's military must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Moscow will take control, rejecting any compromise over how to conclude hostilities.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an agreed point - but only if Russia reciprocated the action.
Russian forces currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The two regions constitute the Donbas industrial heartland.
Attacks have been escalating against cities in Ukraine - particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Russia has also made slow progress in seizing additional Ukrainian land.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at objectives inside Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles, though with varying degrees of effectiveness.
