Zelensky Asserts He Lacks Definitive Defense Guarantee from Allies
President Zelensky has stated that Ukraine's partners in Europe have failed to provide solid assurances that they will protect his country in the event of a fresh offensive by Russia.
"I am asking this very question to all our partners and I have not received a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he stated to the press on midweek.
His comments come a day after the UK and France inked a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to conclude the conflict with Moscow is finalized.
However, full security guarantees 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 commitment at discussions held in the French capital on the previous day.
Outcomes from the Paris Discussions
Following the negotiations in Paris, which involved some three dozen nations 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 French President Emmanuel Macron subsequently indicated thousands of troops may be deployed.
Allies proposed that the US would take the lead in overseeing any ceasefire. But the central sticking point of ceding land that Ukraine is being pressured to offer to Russia as a component of the settlement terms are continuing to be negotiated.
Moscow has not yet commented on the declaration made in the city of Paris.
President Putin initiated a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces now occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine's land.
Zelensky's Shifting Tone
The UK Prime Minister characterized the joint statement as "an essential component of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future".
He continued: "It establishes the pathway for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could operate on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the future."
Zelensky hailed that agreement as a "huge step forward".
Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he seemed more cautious.
"I see the will, the political will, and that the allies are prepared, and the allies are willing to give us robust economic measures, powerful defense assurances," he said when asked if nations in Europe would come to Ukraine's aid.
"However, until we don't have such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question cannot be answered. And should they materialize, you still have to rely first and foremost on your own strength."
Unresolved Issues and Ongoing Conflict
Negotiations in Paris were also significant due to the attendance of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
One envoy stated the allies "mostly completed" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Last week, Zelensky said a peace deal was "ninety percent complete".
Questions of land and security guarantees have been at the center of outstanding matters for diplomats.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must pull back from the entirety of the Donbas region 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 suggested that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an established line - but only if Russia did the same.
Russian forces currently controls about three-quarters of the Donetsk oblast, and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the Donbas industrial heartland.
It has been intensifying attacks against Ukrainian cities - particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Moscow is also achieving slow progress in seizing additional Ukrainian land.
Ukrainian forces have retaliated at objectives inside Russia with drones, though with varying degrees of effectiveness.
