Zelensky Declares He Lacks Definitive Defense Guarantee from Partner Nations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine's partners in Europe have failed to provide solid assurances that they will defend Ukraine in the case 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 stated to the press on Wednesday.
His comments come a day after Britain and France inked a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to end the war with Russia is reached.
However, full security guarantees have yet to be solidified. The US, which has been leading efforts to halt the offensive, reportedly did not sign such a commitment at discussions held in the French capital on the previous day.
Outcomes from the Paris Discussions
After the Paris talks, which involved some three dozen nations that form the so-called Coalition of the Willing, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to prevent any future incursion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated a significant number of soldiers may be deployed.
Allies proposed that the United States would assume a leading role in monitoring a truce. But the key issue of ceding land that Ukraine is being pressured to offer to Russia as part of the peace proposals are still being discussed.
Moscow has not yet commented on the declaration made in the French capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces now occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
Sir Keir described the bilateral declaration as "a vital part of our dedication to support Ukraine for the long-term".
He added: "It establishes the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French and partner forces could function on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the future."
Zelensky hailed that accord as a "significant leap of progress".
A day later, however, he seemed more cautious.
"I see the will, the political resolve, and that the partners are ready, and the partners are ready to give us robust economic measures, powerful defense assurances," he said when questioned if nations in Europe would come to Ukraine's aid.
"But as long as we don't have such security guarantees - formally ratified, supported by parliaments, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question cannot be answered. And even if they do, you must ultimately depend primarily on your own strength."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
Negotiations in Paris were also notable owing to the attendance of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
One envoy stated the participating countries "largely finished" their work on finalizing security arrangements.
Recently, Zelensky said a settlement was "90% ready".
Territorial concessions and security guarantees have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for negotiators.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukraine's military must pull back from the entirety of the Donbas region or Russia will seize it, rejecting any compromise over how to end the war.
Zelensky has so far ruled out relinquishing any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an established line - but provided that Russia reciprocated the action.
Moscow now holds about 75% of the Donetsk region, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial Donbas region.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - with a focus on power facilities. Moscow is also achieving slow progress in seizing additional Ukrainian land.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at objectives inside Russia with drones, albeit with more limited success.
