Zelensky Asserts Absence of Clear Security Pledge from Allies
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says European allies have not given him solid assurances that they will protect his country in the event of a future Russian attack.
"I continue to pose this critical question to every one of our allies and I have not received a definitive and straightforward response yet," he told reporters on midweek.
His comments come a day after the UK and France signed a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to end the war with Russia is agreed.
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 pledge at talks in Paris on Tuesday.
Details of the Paris Talks
Following the negotiations in Paris, which involved some 30 countries that comprise the so-called Coalition of the Willing, British PM Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while France's President Macron later said a significant number of soldiers may be sent.
Partner nations suggested that the US would assume a leading role in overseeing any ceasefire. But the central sticking point of territorial concessions that Ukraine is being pressured to offer to Russia as a component of the settlement terms 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 the early months of 2022, and Moscow currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
The President's Evolving Stance
The UK Prime Minister characterized the bilateral declaration as "a vital part of our commitment to support Ukraine for the long-term".
He added: "It establishes the pathway for the legal framework under which allied military personnel could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the years to come."
Zelensky hailed 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 allies are willing to give us strong sanctions, powerful defense assurances," he said when questioned if European countries would defend Ukraine.
"However, until we don't have such security guarantees - legally binding, supported by parliaments, supported by the United States Congress - this question remains unresolved. And even if they do, you still have to rely first and foremost on your own strength."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
Negotiations in Paris were also significant owing to the presence of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
One envoy stated the allies "mostly completed" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Recently, Zelensky said a peace deal was "ninety percent complete".
Questions of land and security guarantees have been at the forefront of outstanding matters for diplomats.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's military must withdraw from the entirety of the Donbas region or Russia will seize it, dismissing potential concessions over how to conclude hostilities.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected relinquishing any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an established line - but only if Russia reciprocated the action.
Moscow now holds about 75% of the Donetsk region, and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The pair of oblasts constitute the Donbas industrial heartland.
Attacks have been escalating against cities in Ukraine - with a focus on power facilities. Moscow is also achieving incremental advances in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine has hit back at objectives inside Russia with drones, though with varying degrees of effectiveness.
