US Envoy in Paris for Ukraine Security Talks Amid Drone Threats

Kyiv, Sep 4 (AP) US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff attended discussions with European leaders in Paris on Thursday focused on securing long-term military support for Ukraine. This comes as allies strive to guarantee sustained American backing even after the conflict subsides.

Appointed by US President Donald Trump to facilitate peace talks, Witkoff is also scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Paris conference, according to an official from Ukraine's presidency. The source spoke anonymously, lacking authorization to relay details to the media.

Witkoff joined the "coalition of the willing" meeting to deliberate on aiding Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on formulating military support plans in case of a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war to prevent future Russian aggression.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who are at the helm of this coalition, emphasized the necessity of US backing for any European "reassurance" force in Ukraine.

In anticipation of Thursday's discussions, Macron stated that preliminary work on security guarantees had been completed and now required political endorsement, although he withheld specifics.

"We Europeans are prepared to offer security guarantees to Ukraine and its citizens once peace is achieved," remarked Macron.

The contributions from coalition members, including the possibility of deploying troops, remain uncertain.

Following a meeting with Witkoff and additional national security advisors, Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, emphasized that security guarantees "must be robust and effective — in the air, at sea, on land, and in cyberspace.”

Earlier this month, the US signaled its readiness to support security guarantees for Ukraine resembling NATO's collective defense principle, a shift that Zelenskyy acknowledged. However, the practical implications of that support remain uncertain, with Ukraine hoping for continued US intelligence sharing and air support.

Meanwhile, within Ukraine, Russia launched 112 strike and decoy drones throughout the country overnight on Thursday, according to Ukraine's Air Force morning report, which noted that air defenses intercepted or jammed 84 drones.

Some leaders participated physically in the Paris talks, while others joined virtually. They were scheduled to converse with Trump over the phone following the meeting. (AP) SKS NPK NPK

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