Zelensky Asserts He Lacks Explicit Security Pledge from Allies
President Zelensky has stated that European allies have not given him concrete pledges that they will protect his country in the case 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 Wednesday.
His comments come a day after Britain and France signed a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to end the war with Russia is reached.
However, comprehensive defense assurances have yet to be solidified. The United States, which has been leading efforts to end the invasion, was reported to have abstained from signing such a commitment at discussions held in the French capital on Tuesday.
Outcomes from the Paris Discussions
After the Paris talks, which involved some 30 countries that comprise the so-called Coalition of the Willing, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the two nations would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to prevent any future incursion, while French President Emmanuel Macron subsequently indicated a significant number of soldiers may be deployed.
Allies proposed that the US would assume a leading role in monitoring a truce. But the central sticking point of territorial concessions that Ukraine is being pressured to offer to Russia as part of the peace proposals are still being discussed.
The Russian government has not yet commented on the announcement made in the city of Paris.
President Putin initiated a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces currently controls about 20% of Ukraine's land.
The President's Evolving Stance
The UK Prime Minister characterized the joint statement as "a vital part of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the long-term".
He added: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied military personnel could function on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces 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 resolve, and that the allies are prepared, and the allies are willing to give us strong sanctions, strong security guarantees," he said when questioned if European countries would come to Ukraine's aid.
"However, until we don't have such binding security pacts - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question cannot be answered. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend primarily on your own strength."
Persistent Challenges and Fighting
Negotiations in Paris were also notable owing to the attendance of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff said the allies "mostly completed" their work on agreeing security protocols.
Last week, Zelensky said a peace deal was "90% ready".
Questions of land and defense pledges have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's military must pull back from the entirety of the Donbas region or Moscow will take control, dismissing potential concessions over how to conclude hostilities.
Zelensky has so far ruled out relinquishing any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an established line - but provided that Russia did the same.
Russian forces now holds about three-quarters of the Donetsk oblast, and some nearly all of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts constitute the industrial Donbas region.
It has been intensifying attacks against Ukrainian cities - particularly targeting power facilities. Russia has also made slow progress in capturing more Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine has hit back at Russian targets with drones, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.
