Zelensky Declares Absence of Clear Security Pledge from Allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says European allies have failed to provide sound guarantees that they will protect his country in the case of a new Russian aggression.

"I continue to pose this critical question to every one of our allies and thus far, the answer remains elusive a definitive and straightforward response yet," he stated to the press on Wednesday.

His comments come a day after the UK and France signed a statement of purpose on stationing forces in Ukraine if a peace deal to conclude the conflict with Moscow is reached.

However, full security guarantees have not been agreed. The United States, which has been leading efforts to end the invasion, was reported to have abstained from signing such a pledge at talks in Paris on the previous day.

Outcomes from the Paris Discussions

After the Paris talks, which included some three dozen nations that form the so-called Coalition of the Willing, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "set up operational bases across Ukraine" to prevent any future incursion, while French President Emmanuel Macron later said a significant number of soldiers may be sent.

Allies proposed that the United States would assume a leading role in overseeing any ceasefire. 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 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 Russian forces now occupies about 20% of Ukraine's land.

The President's Evolving Stance

The UK Prime Minister characterized the bilateral declaration 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 Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukrainian airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the years to come."

The Ukrainian leader praised that agreement as a "huge step forward".

A day later, 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 robust economic measures, strong security guarantees," he said when questioned if European countries would defend Ukraine.

"However, until we lack such security guarantees - legally binding, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question remains unresolved. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend primarily on your own strength."

Persistent Challenges and Fighting

Negotiations in Paris were also significant due 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 security guarantees have been at the forefront of outstanding matters for diplomats.

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

Zelensky has so far ruled out relinquishing any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an established line - but provided that Russia did the same.

Russian forces currently controls about three-quarters of the Donetsk region, and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial Donbas region.

Attacks have been escalating against Ukrainian cities - with a focus on energy infrastructure. Moscow is also achieving incremental advances in seizing additional Ukrainian land.

Ukraine has hit back at Russian targets with unmanned aerial vehicles, though with more limited success.