Zelensky Asserts Absence of Clear Defense Guarantee from European Partners

President Zelensky has stated that European allies have not given him concrete pledges that they will defend Ukraine 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 told reporters on Wednesday.

His comments come a day after the UK and France signed a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to end the war with Russia is reached.

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 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 comprise the group termed the 'Coalition of the Willing', UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "set up operational bases across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while French President Emmanuel Macron later said thousands of troops may be sent.

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 asked to grant to Russia as a component of the settlement terms are continuing to be negotiated.

The Russian government has not yet commented on the declaration made in the city of Paris.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Moscow now occupies about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.

The President's Evolving Stance

The UK Prime Minister characterized the joint statement as "a vital part of our dedication to support Ukraine for the long-term".

He added: "It establishes the pathway for the legal framework under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the future."

The Ukrainian leader praised that accord as a "significant leap of progress".

Twenty-four hours afterward, however, he seemed more cautious.

"I see the will, the political resolve, and that the allies are prepared, and the allies are willing to give us robust economic measures, strong security guarantees," he said when questioned if European countries would defend Ukraine.

"But as long as we lack such binding security pacts - formally ratified, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this crucial issue remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you still have to rely first and foremost on your own strength."

Persistent Challenges and Fighting

The Paris talks were also notable owing to the presence of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

One envoy stated the allies "largely finished" their work on finalizing security arrangements.

Recently, Zelensky said a peace deal was "90% ready".

Questions of land and defense pledges have been at the center of unresolved issues for diplomats.

Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any compromise over how to end the war.

The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected relinquishing any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an agreed point - but provided that Russia reciprocated the action.

Moscow currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region, and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The two regions form the industrial Donbas region.

Attacks have been escalating against cities in Ukraine - particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Russia has also made slow progress in seizing additional Ukrainian land.

Ukraine has hit back at objectives inside Russia with drones, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.