Ukraine is set to host a significant meeting of the “coalition of the willing” leaders this Saturday, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. This countermobilization is a testament to the growing sense among European countries that the U.S. and its commitment to Ukraine in the midst of its ongoing conflict with Russia is not a reliable partner. It seeks to bolster Ukraine’s security guarantees.
This “coalition of the willing,” which was formed at the beginning of this year, is primarily led by France and Britain. As geopolitical dynamics change, these countries have lead—in so many ways—to reaffirming that Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is restored and protected. The coalition is in real discussions about sending a small, foreign force to Ukraine. This action is an implementation of its new strategy to offer guarantees.
French President Emmanuel Macron has already followed through on an earlier pledge and confirmed that France will attend the next meeting in Kyiv. At the same time, Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he wants to visit Ukraine in the coming weeks. Still, President Zelenskiy has so far not revealed which world leaders will be present for the virtual summit.
The coalition’s agenda is centered around discussing security guarantees that Ukraine desperately seeks to safeguard against any future military aggression from Russia. In view of this, Zelenskiy underlined the need for a strong coalition, saying
“We need this coalition, and it should be strong enough to guarantee security in line with our common vision.” – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Progress on defining what Europe’s role should be in providing post-war security guarantees has been a difficult task. There is still a very unstable status quo, and the possibility for a permanent ceasefire seems far away. The 30-day ceasefire proposal was first introduced by then-U.S. president Donald Trump back in March. For it to be a success, reliable measures to monitor and enforce it would be essential, and Russia has already said that such conditions would need to be established before any ceasefire started.
In recent discussions, Zelenskiy conveyed to Trump that a 30-day ceasefire would be a “real indicator” of progress towards peace with Russia. He also confirmed Ukraine’s willingness to put this ceasefire into effect at once, a sign of his administration’s determination to see an end to violent conflict on their borders.
As conversation continues among the coalition, Europe’s contributions are becoming more essential. The coalition’s actions represent the most forceful European push yet. They are genuinely rethinking how they can play their own part in supporting Ukraine through these transformative times.
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