Zelensky Declares He Lacks Explicit Security Pledge from European Partners
President Zelensky has stated that European allies have not given him sound guarantees that they will protect his country in the event of a new Russian aggression.
"I continue to pose this critical question to all our partners and I have not received a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he stated to the press on Wednesday.
These remarks follow a day after Britain and France inked a declaration of intent on stationing forces in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to conclude the conflict with Moscow is finalized.
However, comprehensive defense assurances have not been agreed. The United States, which has been leading efforts to halt the offensive, was reported to have abstained from signing such a commitment at talks in Paris on Tuesday.
Details of the Paris Talks
After the Paris talks, which involved some 30 countries that form the group termed the 'Coalition of the Willing', UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated thousands of troops may be deployed.
Allies proposed that the US would assume a leading role in monitoring a truce. But the central sticking point of ceding land that Ukraine is being pressured to offer to Russia as part of the peace proposals are continuing to be negotiated.
Moscow has thus far remained silent on the declaration made in the French capital.
President Putin initiated a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces now occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
The President's Evolving Stance
Sir Keir described the joint statement as "an essential component of our dedication to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future".
He added: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could operate on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the future."
The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement as a "significant leap of progress".
A day later, however, he seemed more cautious.
"I perceive the determination, the political will, and that the allies are prepared, and the partners are ready to give us robust economic measures, strong security guarantees," he said when asked if European countries would come to Ukraine's aid.
"However, until we don't have such binding security pacts - formally ratified, endorsed by legislatures, supported by the United States Congress - this question cannot be answered. And even if they do, you must ultimately depend primarily on your inherent capabilities."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
Negotiations in Paris were also notable owing to the attendance of US President Donald Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the participating countries "largely finished" their work on finalizing security arrangements.
Last week, the President indicated a peace deal was "90% ready".
Questions of land and defense pledges have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
The Russian leader has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Moscow will take control, 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.
Russian forces now holds about 75% of the Donetsk oblast, and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts constitute the industrial Donbas region.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Russia has also made slow progress in seizing additional Ukrainian land.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at Russian targets with unmanned aerial vehicles, albeit with more limited success.