Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Asserts Absence of Explicit Defense Guarantee from Partner Nations

President Zelensky has stated that European allies have not given him concrete pledges that they will protect his country in the case of a fresh offensive by Russia.

"I am asking this very question to all our partners and I have not received a definitive and straightforward response yet," he told reporters on midweek.

These remarks follow a day after the UK and France inked a statement of purpose on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal to end the war with Russia is finalized.

However, full security guarantees have yet to be solidified. The United States, 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.

Details of the Paris Talks

After the Paris talks, which involved some 30 countries that form the so-called Coalition of the Willing, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and France would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to prevent any future incursion, while France's President Macron subsequently indicated a significant number of soldiers may be deployed.

Allies proposed that the United States would take the lead in overseeing any ceasefire. But the key issue of ceding land that Ukraine is being asked to grant to Russia as part of the peace proposals are still being discussed.

Moscow has not yet commented on the declaration made in the French capital.

President Putin initiated a comprehensive military assault of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow now occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Zelensky's Shifting Tone

The UK Prime Minister characterized the bilateral declaration as "an essential component of our dedication to stand with Ukraine for the long-term".

He added: "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 regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the future."

Zelensky hailed that accord as a "huge step forward".

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

"I perceive the determination, the political will, and that the allies are prepared, and the partners are ready to give us strong sanctions, strong security guarantees," he said when asked if European countries would defend Ukraine.

"However, until we don't have such binding security pacts - formally ratified, endorsed by legislatures, backed by the U.S. Congress - this question cannot be answered. And should they materialize, you must ultimately depend first and foremost on your inherent capabilities."

Persistent Challenges and Fighting

The Paris talks were also significant due to the attendance of envoys from former President Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

One envoy stated the allies "largely finished" 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 center of unresolved issues for negotiators.

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

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

Moscow now holds about three-quarters of the Donetsk region, and some nearly all of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions constitute the industrial Donbas region.

It has been intensifying attacks against Ukrainian cities - with a focus on energy infrastructure. Moscow is also achieving slow progress in capturing more Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian forces have retaliated at objectives inside Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles, albeit with more limited success.