Description: European leaders held a joint meeting in Paris, chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, where defense representatives from 26 countries have pledged support for post – war security guarantees in Ukraine. The meeting arrives after the peace efforts and negotiations have stalled, primarily due to recycled demands from Russia. Macron stated that European military forces would not be deployed on the ground in Ukraine but would assist Ukrainian defense forces with training, logistical support and equipment which he deemed necessary for maintaining the country’s sovereignty. Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin, held a press conference on the margins of the SCO Summit and China’s military parade, where he stated that diplomatic efforts were still active, despite setbacks from Europe, which, according to him, hampered the peace efforts. Germany and Italy have renounced the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine in any capacity depending on the outcome of the peace process.
Impact: The meeting in Paris further emphasizes Europe’s issues with internal divisions and the lack of strategic unison. The security reassurances for Ukraine arrive in the midst of a deadlocked peace process and growing opposition from Russia, which has maintained its conditions. Without resolute approach and concrete steps, Russia would continue its aerial attacks and ground campaign which would further distance the two countries from a diplomatic resolution to the war. The Alaska Summit with Putin and the meeting with Zelensky resulted in no concrete steps to ensure the continuance of the peace initiative, leaving Trump’s peace initiative stagnant. Europe’s push for Ukrainian defensive guarantees seems premature and unconstructive with the war continuing around the relatively frozen battlefronts.