**Paris (AFP)** – Russia rejected the notion of Western security guarantees for Ukraine on Friday, after more than two dozen countries pledged to join a “reassurance” force to deploy in the war-torn country after any eventual peace deal with Moscow. A force to deter Russia from again attacking its neighbour is a key pillar of the security backstop a coalition of mainly European countries want to offer to Ukraine if the war ends via a peace deal or a ceasefire. The extent of any US involvement remains uncertain, even after European leaders spoke to President Donald Trump via video conference following the Paris summit at which the “coalition of the willing” pledged its force.
But on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of Western security guarantees for Ukraine, saying that “foreign, especially European and American” troops “definitely cannot” provide such assurances to Kyiv. The Paris summit was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and attended by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, while others, like British premier Keir Starmer, participated remotely. The meeting represented a new push led by Macron to show that Europe can act independently of the United States after Trump launched direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The United States was represented by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who also met with Zelensky separately. Trump said after his call with European leaders that he would speak to Putin soon, with Peskov confirming Friday that such a call could be organised swiftly.
**- ‘First concrete step’ -** Europe has been under pressure to step up its response over three and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. “We have today 26 countries who have formally committed — some others have not yet taken a position — to deploy as a ‘reassurance force’ troops in Ukraine, or be present on the ground, in the sea, or in the air,” Macron told reporters, standing alongside Zelensky. Zelensky hailed the move: “I think that today, for the first time in a long time, this is the first such serious concrete step.” The troops would not be deployed “on the front line” but aim to “prevent any new major aggression,” the French president said. Macron added that another major pillar was a “regeneration” of the Ukrainian army so that it can “not just resist a new attack but dissuade Russia from a new aggression”. Macron said the United States was being “very clear” about its willingness to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine. However, the US contribution remains unclear.
There are also divisions within the coalition, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urging more pressure but remaining cautious about the scope of involvement. “Germany will decide on military involvement at the appropriate time once the framework conditions have been clarified,” a German government spokesman said after the summit. Taking a similar line, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reiterated that her country will not send troops to Ukraine, but could help monitor any potential peace deal. There is also growing concern that Putin is not interested in a peace accord, with alarm intensifying after his high-profile visit to China this week.
**- ‘Play for time’ -** Frustration has been building in the West over what leaders say is Putin’s unwillingness to strike a deal to end the conflict. Zelensky said the call with Trump discussed sanctions on Russia and protecting Ukraine’s airspace. “We discussed different options, and the most important is using strong measures, particularly economic ones, to force an end to the war,” Zelensky said on social media. The White House said it urged European countries to stop purchasing Russian oil “that is funding the war”. A Russian rocket attack Thursday on northern Ukraine killed two people from the Danish Refugee Council who were clearing mines in an area previously occupied by Moscow’s forces, the local Ukrainian governor said.
Macron warned that if Russia continued refusing a peace deal, then “additional sanctions” would be agreed in coordination with the United States. He accused Russia of “doing nothing other than try to play for time” and intensifying attacks against civilians. The gathering followed Putin’s high-profile trips to China and the United States, where he met with Trump in Alaska last month. Speaking Wednesday in Beijing, where he attended a massive military parade alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin hailed his forces’ progress in Ukraine, adding that Russian troops were advancing on “all fronts”.
© 2024 AFP
