In a significant diplomatic shift, the United States has for the first time publicly endorsed a broad European coalition's plan to provide long-term security assurances to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. The landmark pledge was made during a high-stakes summit in Paris on Tuesday, attended by key Western leaders and senior American envoys.
A Coalition of the Willing Firms Up Post-War Plans
The gathering, described as a meeting of a "coalition of the willing" comprised mainly of European nations, aimed to solidify guarantees designed to reassure Kyiv that it would be protected from future Russian aggression after any potential peace deal. Unlike previous meetings of this group, the Paris summit saw direct participation from high-profile US representatives: Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump's son-in-law. America's top general in Europe was also in attendance, underscoring the seriousness of the discussions.
Following the talks, Envoy Witkoff, who has led negotiations with Russia, stated that Donald Trump "strongly stands behind security protocols" intended to deter and defend against any future attacks on Ukraine. He declared these protocols to be "as strong as anyone has ever seen." Speaking at a joint press conference with French, German, British, and Ukrainian leaders, Witkoff indicated that agreements on the security guarantees were largely complete, though territorial issues remained a challenging point of negotiation.
Troop Deployment and Monitoring on the Table
The summit yielded concrete, and potentially contentious, commitments. Both Britain and France declared their readiness to deploy troops to Ukraine following a peace agreement, a major new pledge that has been under discussion for months. French President Emmanuel Macron specified that "several thousand" French soldiers could be involved in a post-ceasefire peacekeeping mission.
Furthermore, coalition leaders agreed to participate in a proposed US-led mechanism for monitoring and verifying any future ceasefire. Officials suggested this would likely utilise technological assets like drones, sensors, and satellites, rather than involving American boots on the ground. The coalition's joint declaration and a separate trilateral agreement between France, Britain, and Ukraine were hailed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a serious signal of Europe's commitment to real security.
Russian Resistance and Ongoing Conflict
These ambitious Western plans face formidable obstacles. Moscow has given no public indication it would accept a peace deal incorporating such security guarantees and has historically rejected any NATO member troops inside Ukraine. Concurrently, the war continues. On the same day as the Paris summit, a Ukrainian drone attack set oil storage tanks ablaze at a depot in Russia's Belgorod region, though no casualties were reported.
As Western leaders strategised in Paris, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended an Orthodox Christmas service, praising his troops' "holy mission" to defend the motherland. The stark contrast highlights the immense diplomatic and military challenges that lie ahead in translating the pledges made in Paris into a durable and secure peace for Ukraine.
