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Ukraine made a bid Tuesday to shore up its defenses to dissuade future attacks as it negotiates a peace deal with Russia.Russian forces invaded Ukraine nearly five weeks ago, launching over 1,370 missiles, killing thousands and displacing millions. Though the U.S. and NATO allies repeatedly condemned the illegal invasion, hit Russian with crippling sanctions and provided billions in aid to Kyiv, the international community refused to get involved militarily over fears it could spark a global war. RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks via video call to the Doha Forum in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, March 26, 2022.
(AP Photo/Lujain Jo)In its latest proposal during peace negotiations with Russia, Ukrainian negotiators demanded security guarantees that would further dissuade Moscow or other aggressors from future invasions. “Today we came up with an official proposal for a new system of security guarantees for Ukraine,” head of Ukraine’s delegation and negotiating team David Arakhamia said. “We insist that this must be an international treaty signed by all countries – guarantors of security.RUSSIA TO SCALE BACK MILITARY ACTIVITY TOWARD KYIV, CHERNIHIV AS PART OF PEACE TALKS: PUTIN DEFENSE OFFICIAL”We want it to be a working international mechanism of concrete security guarantees for Ukraine,” he added.Ukraine has reportedly pledged not to join the 30-member NATO alliance and agreed not to host foreign troops within its borders in exchange for a cease-fire.But Ukrainian negotiators are calling for their own collective defense that is similar to NATO’s Article 5, which says when one nation is attacked it is an attack on all nations. Kyiv has called on all permanent members on the United Nations Security Council – the U.S., U.K, France, China and Russia – to agree to defend Ukraine should it be attacked in the future. Turkey, Germany, Canada, Italy, Poland and Israel have also been called on to act as guarantors. “The future treaty must contain a provision according to which within three days after the start of the war, aggression, military operation, any disguised, hybrid war against Ukraine, the guarantor countries hold consultations,” Ukrainian officials said in a Tuesday statement.
A view of destroyed buildings and vehicles after Russian attacks on a shopping mall, in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 21, 2022.
(Emin Sansar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)The participating countries would then be legally required to provide military assistance in the form of “armaments and the closure of the skies” – a move Ukraine has repeatedly asked the U.S. and NATO to conduct in an attempt to circumvent the barrage of missile fire it has endured.US WARY OF RUSSIA PULLBACK ANNOUNCEMENT, WARNS AGAINST ANNEXING EASTERN UKRAINEU.S. security officials have argued a no-fly zone would not have efficiently blocked missile fire aimed at Ukraine during the war, as most have been launched from ground- or sea-based platforms. Defense officials have justified their decision by expressing concern that closing the skies would have required U.S. military involvement and therefore escalated the conflict. Negotiators said the treaty would not be binding over “temporarily occupied” areas such as the Donbas region and Crimea “since their status is not regulated.”Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out a list of demands he wanted from Ukraine last week, including its pledge not to join NATO and disarmament. But it remains unclear where negotiations have landed on Russia’s illegal occupation over Crimea and support for fractional forces in the Donbas region since 2014.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko holds people away from a five-storey residential building that partially collapsed after a shelling in Kyiv on March 18, 2022.
(Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPOleksandr Chalyi, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Kyiv’s ability to join the European Union is “fundamentally important” for its security and called on the guarantor nations to aid in the process. Negotiations are expected to continue for another two weeks.
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