In a significant move, the United States officially backed a broad coalition of allies in Paris on Tuesday, pledging binding security commitments for Ukraine. This landmark agreement aims to protect the nation if Russia launches any future attacks following a potential ceasefire.
The summit featured high-level US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner alongside General Alexus Grynkewich to discuss specific military protocols. Witkoff, who leads talks with Russia, confirmed that President Donald Trump strongly supports these new security measures to deter further aggression.
“Those security protocols are meant to deter any further attacks in Ukraine, and if there are any, they will defend,” Witkoff stated. He further emphasized that the strength of these guarantees surpasses anything the international community has seen previously during this conflict.
Ensuring a Lasting Peace
Jared Kushner noted that Ukrainians must feel secure before they can finalize a peace deal to end the four-year war, insisting that the agreement requires a robust deterrence and “real backstops” to ensure that Russia does not invade again.
While the US did not explicitly endorse every detail, European officials celebrated Washington’s active involvement in the framework’s development. Consequently, the coalition will now finalize binding commitments that include intelligence sharing, logistical support, and potentially significant diplomatic initiatives.
Moreover, the joint statement also outlined a European-led “Multinational Force for Ukraine” to rebuild the country’s military and maintain long-term deterrence, with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signing a declaration of intent regarding the future deployment of troops. Starmer explained that this legal framework allows British and French forces to operate on Ukrainian soil to secure skies and seas. Meanwhile, Macron suggested that France could eventually send thousands of troops to support the mission once a ceasefire begins.
Although Moscow has not yet accepted these terms, the Paris summit demonstrates a renewed unity between Europe and the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the discussions substantive but noted that the allies must still complete significant work.
