Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Declares Absence of Clear Defense Guarantee from Allies
President Zelensky has stated that European allies have not given him sound guarantees 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 told reporters on midweek.
His comments come a day after the UK 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, comprehensive defense assurances have not been agreed. The US, which has been spearheading initiatives to end the invasion, reportedly did not sign such a pledge 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, 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 thousands of troops may be sent.
Partner nations suggested that the US would assume a leading role in monitoring a truce. But the central sticking point of ceding land that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as a component of the settlement terms are still being discussed.
The Russian government has thus far remained silent on the declaration made in the French capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Moscow now occupies about 20% of Ukraine's land.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
Sir Keir described the joint statement as "an essential component of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future".
He added: "It establishes the pathway for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could operate on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the future."
The Ukrainian leader praised that accord as a "huge step forward".
Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he appeared less optimistic.
"I see the will, the political resolve, and that the partners are ready, and the allies are willing to give us strong sanctions, strong security guarantees," he said when asked if nations in Europe would defend Ukraine.
"But as long as we don't have such security guarantees - formally ratified, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend first and foremost on your inherent capabilities."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
The Paris talks were also notable due to the attendance of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
One envoy stated the allies "largely finished" their work on finalizing security arrangements.
Recently, the President indicated a settlement was "90% ready".
Territorial concessions and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for diplomats.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's military must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any compromise over how to conclude hostilities.
The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an agreed point - but provided that Russia reciprocated the action.
Moscow now holds about three-quarters of the Donetsk oblast, and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The two regions constitute the Donbas industrial heartland.
It has been intensifying attacks against cities in Ukraine - particularly targeting power facilities. Russia has also made incremental advances in seizing additional Ukrainian land.
Ukraine has hit back at Russian targets with drones, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.