Paris Summit Aims to Establish Military Contingent for Ukraine Peacekeeping
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks participation commitments for peacekeeping forces in the wake of ongoing conflict with Russia.
A summit focused on the Ukraine conflict is scheduled for Thursday in Paris, where President Volodymyr Zelensky will seek to determine which countries are willing to establish security guarantees, including the potential deployment of a military contingent to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.
This announcement was made during a press conference by President Zelensky on Tuesday.
In related developments, the French presidency reiterated that there are currently no European sanctions on Russian agricultural products.
This statement follows warnings from the Kremlin that agreements reached by Washington would only take effect after the lifting of Western restrictions on Russian grain and fertilizer trade.
A French official stated that while Russia might leverage partial advances toward a ceasefire conditionally on the lifting of certain sanctions, these remain a necessary pressure tool on Russia.
The French government views a recent ceasefire agreement concerning the Black Sea as a step in the right direction but maintains that it is insufficient to achieve a lasting ceasefire.
A presidential advisor indicated that Russia must make 'solid, verifiable commitments' comparable to those made by President Zelensky for a complete ceasefire to be realized.
On the ground, recent military developments indicate that both Russia and Ukraine have agreed to cease hostilities in the Black Sea region, according to announcements made by the White House after two days of discussions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The agreements will include the security of navigation and the ban on military use of commercial vessels in the Black Sea.
However, the Kremlin warned that these arrangements would only be effective following the removal of various sanctions imposed on Russian entities, particularly those affecting Rosselkhozbank and other agricultural exporters.
In Ukraine, President Zelensky asserted that his country intends to implement the agreements announced by the U.S. regarding the Black Sea ceasefire, describing them as 'good measures.' He emphasized that there should be no weakening of international sanctions against Russia and indicated that further discussions are necessary to clarify the implementation details of the accords.
Additionally, President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with President Zelensky on Wednesday evening to prepare for the Thursday summit on security.
As for ongoing military actions, the Russian army claimed to have regained control of Myrne in Donetsk Oblast and Malie Shcherbaky in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Meanwhile, a Russian bombing in Kourtivka, Donetsk Oblast, resulted in the deaths of a three-year-old girl and a 36-year-old woman, according to local officials.
The city of Sumy has reported a surge in casualty figures from a recent Russian bombing, with 101 individuals injured, including 23 children.
In financial news, oil prices fell in response to expectations of a potential increase in Russian exports.
The price of Brent Crude dropped by 0.27% to $72.80 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate fell by 0.43% to $68.81 per barrel.
As the diplomatic landscape evolves, Zelensky criticized remarks from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, suggesting they align closely with Kremlin narratives concerning Russian territorial claims.
Discussions surrounding the ceasefire agreements continue, with consultations envisaged to solidify the details and involvement of third-party countries in monitoring the ceasefire.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov warned that any movement of Russian warships beyond the eastern Black Sea would constitute a violation of the spirit of the ceasefire agreement and affirmed Ukraine's right to defend itself in such a scenario.
President Biden's administration reiterated support for Ukraine regarding humanitarian efforts, including the safe return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia, as part of the ongoing negotiations aimed at reaching a peaceful resolution to the conflict.