Following the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris, important documents were signed: a joint declaration by all Coalition countries and a trilateral declaration by France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Through these documents, we are strengthening our further legal work within countries, with parliaments, so that at the moment when diplomacy succeeds in bringing the war to an end, we will have full readiness to deploy Coalition forces. The details have been elaborated within a system of other documents,” the Head of State said.
The President noted that the Coalition of the Willing has determined which countries are ready to take the lead in specific elements of security guarantees on land, in the air, at sea, and in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
“It has been determined what forces are needed, how they will be managed, and at which levels command will operate. We must also establish how monitoring will function. It must be absolutely clear how the appropriate strength and size of the Ukrainian army will be sustained and financed,” the Head of State emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy underlined that military officials from France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine worked in detail on deployment, numbers, specific types of weapons, and components of the Armed Forces required and able to operate effectively. The President thanked each leader and each state willing to be part of a peaceful solution.
According to the President, there was a detailed discussion with the American team regarding monitoring compliance with peace.
“The United States is ready to work on this. This is extremely important to us. One of the most critical elements is deterrence – the tools that will prevent any new Russian aggression,” said the Head of State.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine and the United States have made progress on documents concerning security guarantees. He emphasized that signing could take place in the near future and that these formats are already being worked through. Ukraine values the United States’ readiness to support forces tasked with preventing a recurrence of Russian aggression.
“The U.S. backstop is extremely important for us. We understand the potential timing of all these processes, and we all agree that these security guarantees must be legally binding, including approval by the U.S. Congress,” the Head of State stressed.
During the session, ideas were also discussed to help resolve territorial issues, and special attention was paid to strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, as Russia continues strikes against energy facilities, civilian infrastructure, and peaceful cities and villages.
“That is why every one of our meetings addresses air defense as well. And in Mar-a-Lago, we discussed this with President Trump – I thank him very much for his understanding and support – and here in Paris, we are raising the air defense issue as well,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
President of France Emmanuel Macron noted that the Coalition of the Willing countries established mechanisms for monitoring the ceasefire, expressed support for the Ukrainian army, and discussed preparing multinational forces to guarantee security after the ceasefire. According to him, it is important to finalize the plan for Ukraine’s economic recovery.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer stated that the Coalition of the Willing must guarantee Ukraine’s long-term security, and the joint declaration shows these intentions. He emphasized that Russia shows no willingness to compromise, increases its attacks, and that partners must strengthen Ukraine and keep pressure on the aggressor, including on the energy sector and the shadow fleet.
Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz stressed the importance of securing an agreement that, unlike the Minsk agreements, will be based on lasting security guarantees. He noted that the Coalition of the Willing partners will continue to strengthen Ukraine.
U.S. President’s team representative Steve Witkoff stated that the parties are working on key documents for achieving peace and Ukraine’s recovery, and significant progress has already been made in this regard.
This was the most representative meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. From the American side, participants included members of the U.S. President’s team, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, and General Alexus Grynkewich.
The meeting also included: the Presidents of Lithuania, Romania, and Finland; the Prime Ministers of Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Croatia, and the Czech Republic; the Presidents of the European Council and European Commission; the NATO Secretary General; the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; the Ministers of Austria, Ireland, Cyprus, and Türkiye; the UK Chief of the Defense Staff; the Chief of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces; and representatives of Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
