Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky States He Lacks Explicit Security Pledge from Allies
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 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 inked a statement of purpose on stationing forces in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to end the war with Russia is finalized.
However, full security guarantees have yet to be solidified. The US, which has been leading efforts to end the invasion, was reported to have abstained from signing 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 so-called Coalition of the Willing, British PM Keir Starmer said the two nations would "set up operational bases across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated thousands of troops may be deployed.
Partner nations suggested that the United States would assume a leading role in monitoring a truce. But the key issue of ceding land that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as a component of the settlement terms are still being discussed.
Moscow has thus far remained silent on the announcement made in the city of Paris.
Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
The President's Evolving Stance
Sir Keir described the bilateral declaration as "a vital part of our dedication to support Ukraine for the long-term".
He added: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the years to come."
The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement as a "significant leap of progress".
Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I see the will, the political resolve, and that the allies are prepared, and the allies are willing to give us strong sanctions, powerful defense assurances," he said when asked if nations in Europe would defend Ukraine.
"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 must ultimately depend primarily on your own strength."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
The Paris talks were also notable owing to the attendance of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the participating countries "largely finished" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Last week, the President indicated a settlement was "ninety percent complete".
Questions of land and security guarantees have been at the center of outstanding matters for diplomats.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing potential concessions over how to end the war.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected relinquishing any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an established line - but provided that Russia reciprocated the action.
Moscow currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The two regions constitute the Donbas industrial heartland.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - with a focus on energy infrastructure. Russia has also made incremental advances in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine has hit back at objectives inside Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles, though with more limited success.
