Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that work on his country’s security guarantees must be accelerated.
This came after a conversation he described as “purposeful” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“It is important that we be as productive as possible with America,” Zelensky added on Telegram. It is important to strengthen our air defense.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the coming days will witness the final touches on the support that the United States will provide to security guarantees for Ukraine.
This came after a phone call with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, following a meeting of countries supporting Kiev.
“We had a call with President Trump,” he told reporters. The results of this call are simple: In the coming days, we will finalize US support and these security guarantees. The United States, as I said, was involved in every stage of the process.”
The French President also announced that 26 countries, especially European ones, have committed to participating in what he called a “reassurance force” within the framework of a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
This is done by deploying forces in Ukraine “by land, sea or air”.
Macron told reporters following a meeting of the “Alliance of the Willing” supporting Ukraine. He said: “The goal of this force is not to wage war against Russia”.
He added that Germany, Italy and Poland “are among the 26 contributing countries that have specified their support. This support includes either training the Ukrainian army or ensuring security on land, air, and sea”.
He also recalled that security guarantees “aim primarily to ensure that there are no restrictions on the size or capabilities of the Ukrainian army during the negotiations”.
He added, “This is what we defend, and what we will defend until the end”.
He also explained that the Europeans would impose new sanctions “in coordination with the United States” if Moscow continued to “refuse to bring peace” to Ukraine.
He pointed out that there will be “new contacts between the Americans and the Russians”.
Ukraine praises allies’ commitment
In turn, Zelensky said that Kiev and its allies have an understanding on a general framework for security guarantees. He added that documents related to these guarantees are being prepared in each of the countries that agreed to contribute.
He added during a press conference in Paris that the presence of a strong Ukrainian army would be central to any such commitments.
He also urged European defense companies to boost production at full capacity.
The Ukrainian president also praised the commitment of his European allies to deploy forces in his country. This is to provide security guarantees as part of any possible agreement to end the war with Russia.
He considered this a “concrete first step”.
“Twenty-six countries have agreed to provide security guarantees to Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “I think this is the first serious, concrete step like this in a long time.”
The West is obstructing peace in Ukraine
On the other hand, on Friday, the Kremlin accused the Europeans of “obstructing” the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.
This came the day after a meeting held by European countries supporting Kiev. The meeting was to discuss the security guarantees they can provide to their ally within the framework of any peace agreement.
The Russian newspaper Izvestia quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying, “The Europeans are obstructing the settlement in Ukraine”. They don’t contribute to it.”
He accused Europe of “continuing its attempts” to make Ukraine “the center of everything anti-Russian”.
The Kremlin said that security guarantees for Ukraine could not be provided through foreign military forces. Additionally, much work was still required before a higher-level meeting could be held between Moscow and Kiev to end the conflict.
