Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Asserts Absence of Explicit Defense Guarantee from Allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says European allies have not given him sound guarantees that they will defend Ukraine in the case of a future Russian attack.

"I am asking this very question to every one of our allies and thus far, the answer remains elusive a clear, unambiguous answer yet," he told reporters on Wednesday.

These remarks follow a day after Britain and France inked a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement to end the war with Russia is finalized.

However, full security guarantees have not been agreed. The US, which has been leading efforts to halt the offensive, was reported to have abstained from signing such a commitment at talks in Paris on the previous day.

Details of the Paris Talks

Following the negotiations in Paris, which included some 30 countries 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 France's President Macron subsequently indicated a significant number of soldiers may be deployed.

Allies proposed that the US would assume a leading role in overseeing any ceasefire. But the key issue 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 French capital.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, and Russian forces currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Zelensky's Shifting Tone

The UK Prime Minister characterized the joint statement as "a vital part of our commitment to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future".

He added: "It establishes the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the future."

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

A day later, however, he seemed more cautious.

"I perceive the determination, 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 come to Ukraine's aid.

"However, until we lack such security guarantees - formally ratified, supported by parliaments, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question remains unresolved. And even if they do, you still have to rely primarily on your own strength."

Persistent Challenges and Fighting

Negotiations in Paris were also significant owing to the attendance of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Witkoff said the participating countries "mostly completed" their work on finalizing security arrangements.

Last week, Zelensky said a settlement was "ninety percent complete".

Questions of land and security guarantees have been at the forefront 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, dismissing potential concessions over how to end the war.

Zelensky has so far ruled out ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could redeploy its forces to an agreed point - but only if Russia reciprocated the action.

Russian forces currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast, and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions form the Donbas industrial heartland.

Attacks have been escalating against Ukrainian cities - with a focus on power facilities. Moscow is also achieving slow progress in seizing additional Ukrainian land.

Ukrainian forces have retaliated at objectives inside Russia with drones, albeit with more limited success.