BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, DEC 19 (AFP/APP): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he needed both Europe and the United States on board to secure a durable peace, as he huddled with EU leaders at their final summit before Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Trump returns to the White House next month having pledged to bring a swift end to a conflict that NATO says has left more than one million dead and wounded since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion.
Talk has increasingly turned to ways Europe could help guarantee any ceasefire, with embryonic discussions over a possible deployment of peacekeepers one day.
But there are few specifics and Zelensky insisted that any steps to secure peace would have to involve the might of the United States.
“I believe that the European guarantees won’t be sufficient for Ukraine,” he said after talks with his EU counterparts.
Zelensky said he was supportive of an initiative mooted by French President Emmanuel Macron to potentially deploy Western troops — but it needed to be fleshed out.
“If we are talking about a contingent, we need to be specific — how many, what they will do if there is aggression from Russia,” he said.
“The main thing is that this is not some artificial story, we need effective mechanisms.”
Kyiv and its European allies fear that Trump’s return means the volatile Republican could cut support for Ukraine’s military and force Zelensky to make painful concessions to Moscow.
Ukraine’s EU backers — fearful of being left on the sidelines — insist they want to step up support to put Kyiv in a position of strength for any potential negotiations.
As the change of guard approaches in the US, Zelensky has appeared to soften his stance on any potential peace push.
He has said that if Ukraine is given firm security guarantees by NATO and enough weaponry it could agree to a ceasefire along current lines and look to regain the rest of its territory through diplomatic means.
But NATO members have rebuffed Kyiv’s calls for an invitation to join their alliance right away, sparking speculation that sending peacekeepers could be an alternative.
In the near term, Kyiv is desperate for more air defences and weapons as its flagging forces lose ground across the frontline to Russia.
“We have to do everything that is in our hands to support Ukraine,” said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
Zelensky said it would be “very difficult” for Europe alone to support Ukraine without US involvement and pleaded for both sides to work together.
“I think only together the United States and Europe can really stop Putin and save Ukraine,” he said.
European officials warned against trying to impose a deal on Ukraine — and said only Kyiv can decide when it’s time to negotiate.
“The European Union stands united in its support to Ukraine to win a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, not any peace, not capitulation,” said European Council chief Antonio Costa.
“Now is not the time to speculate about different scenarios. Now is the time to strengthen Ukraine for all scenarios.”
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