BRUSSELS

The European Commission is engaging with EU member states and international partners to build security guarantees that can support Ukraine in the long term, a spokesperson said Monday.

Asked during the European Commission's daily press briefing about the possibility of China joining peace efforts in Ukraine, commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta did not give a direct answer. Instead, she underlined that discussions are centered on strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and ensuring reliable security commitments from allies.

"I have just outlined what the view of the European Commission is as it regards the security guarantees, as we said, a very strong Ukrainian armed force strategy of the porcupine and adjustable for Ukraine," Podesta said.

She added: "Important security guarantees by the Coalition of the Willing, by the United States, with this backstop by the United States, then defense in Europe, are the core elements of it."

Podesta stressed that the EU is working closely with member states and the Coalition of the Willing in developing credible security guarantees for Kyiv.

"I cannot speculate on what further discussions will be if and when (Russian President Vladimir) Putin comes to the negotiating table. As of today, this is a setting in which security guarantees are being discussed among allies that support Ukraine, and this is what we're working towards," she said.

Regarding the implementation of security guarantees, Podesta said: "There has to be a peace agreement."

"What we're working on is to put Ukraine at the negotiating table with a package of security guarantees that can make Ukraine feel solid when it negotiates its positions with Russia. But clearly that is a step that has to be achieved first and foremost, when Russia will decide to engage," she said, adding that so far, no such engagement has been seen from Moscow.