Politico reports:

Western allies want to protect Ukraine from the next Russian war — but a year into this war, there’s still no agreement over how to do it, when to discuss it or what it even means.

The allies’ muddled messaging has been on full display since British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised some of his counterparts last weekend with a bold yet vague proposal for a new “charter” to assure Ukraine’s long-term security.

“We must demonstrate that we’ll remain by their side, willing and able to help them defend their country again and again,” the British leader said at the Munich Security Conference. Ahead of a July NATO summit in Lithuania, Sunak vowed, “we will bring together our friends and allies to begin building those long-term assurances.”

“Our aim,” he added, “should be to forge a new charter in Vilnius to help protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression.”

In the days since Sunak’s speech, officials have expressed a mix of bafflement, support and curiosity about the proposal.

“Great, what kind of assurances?” said Latvia’s Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs when asked about Sunak’s comments.

“Brits and their way with words,” quipped a senior official from Eastern Europe, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal alliance dynamics. [Continue reading…]