Zelensky Asserts He Lacks Explicit 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 future Russian attack.
"I continue to pose this critical question to all our partners and I have not received a definitive and straightforward response yet," he told reporters on midweek.
His comments come a day after Britain and France signed a statement of purpose on stationing forces in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to conclude the conflict with Moscow is agreed.
However, comprehensive defense assurances have yet to be solidified. The US, which has been spearheading initiatives to halt the offensive, was reported to have abstained from signing such a pledge at talks in Paris on the previous day.
Details of the Paris Talks
Following the negotiations in Paris, which involved some three dozen nations that comprise the so-called Coalition of the Willing, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the two nations would "set up operational bases across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated a significant number of soldiers may be sent.
Allies proposed that the United States would take the lead in overseeing any ceasefire. But the key issue of territorial concessions that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as part of the peace proposals are still being discussed.
The Russian government has thus far remained silent on the announcement made in the French capital.
President Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Moscow now occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
The UK Prime Minister characterized the bilateral declaration as "an essential component of our commitment to support Ukraine for the long-term".
He continued: "It establishes the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French and partner forces could function on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the future."
The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement as a "significant leap of progress".
A day later, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I see the will, the political will, and that the allies are prepared, and the partners are ready to give us strong sanctions, powerful defense assurances," he said when questioned 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, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you still have to rely primarily on your inherent capabilities."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
Negotiations in Paris were also significant owing to the presence of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the participating countries "mostly completed" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Recently, Zelensky said a settlement was "ninety percent complete".
Questions of land and defense pledges have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for diplomats.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's military must pull back 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 proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an agreed point - but provided that Russia did the same.
Russian forces currently controls about three-quarters of the Donetsk oblast, and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The two regions constitute the industrial Donbas region.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - with a focus on power facilities. Russia has also made slow progress in seizing additional Ukrainian land.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at Russian targets with unmanned aerial vehicles, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.
