The war in Ukraine is likely going to get more complicated, as Zelensky and his European backers are discussing the security guarantees on Thursday to pressure Putin after he vowed to fight on if no peace deal is reached.
His media address in Beijing was quickly followed and executed by the Russian forces, which launched a major drone attack on Wednesday. Frustration has been piling up in the West over Putin’s continuation of the attacks on Ukrainian territory.
The West is seemingly feeling helpless since several nations from the EU bloc, including those in NATO, have denied sending any troops or providing any financial support to Kyiv after the US pulled back its guarantees in April this year.
The Summit, co-chaired by Macron and Starmer, aims to firm up plans on security guarantees for Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached. Though the Russian president has categorically said that any security guarantees involving troop deployment in Ukraine are unacceptable to Moscow and reiterated that “Russian forces will solve the matter militarily in case there is no agreement.”
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"We are ready, we the Europeans, to offer the security guarantees to Ukraine and Ukrainians the day that a peace (accord) is signed," French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday evening, speaking alongside Zelensky.
Zelensky's gamble could prove catastrophic for Ukraine; while he looks to sway the peace guarantors on Thursday, Russian forces could very well launch another offensive to fend off and push back already depleting Ukrainian forces in the east. Reacting to the upcoming meeting, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, "They are not guarantees of Ukraine's security; they are guarantees of danger to the European continent.”
She clearly added a reference to what the Russian president has been saying on the NATO troop deployment in Ukraine, who said any foreign troop presence in Ukraine without Russian consent will be targeted; therefore, the risk of escalation lies with the EU and not with Russia.
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