The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was greeted by his counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, ahead of a high-level meeting between some 30 leaders in the Coalition of the Willing. The summit, held both online and in person, brought together political leaders from across Europe as well as Canada and Australia to reaffirm support for Ukraine and coordinate long-term security arrangements.
Leaders personally present in Paris included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, and others. Other leaders, such as Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala—who was hosting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on an official visit to Prague—joined virtually.
Rutte warns observers not to be naive about Russia
Following the meeting, Messrs Fiala and Rutte held a joint press conference in Prague, confirming that all leaders who had taken part in the meeting had been resolute in their support for Ukraine. The goal is to secure a ceasefire and potential peace deal, and provide security and stability in the post-war future. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was clear in his summation of the Russian leadership and for Europeans and called on observers not to be “naive”. He also stressed the need to push for an end to the three-and-a-half year long conflict:
The Ukrainian president knows that he has the full backing of the US, of Canada, the Europeans, all of us in Nato, but also countries outside Nato. – NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Security guarantees
Europe sees a United States strategic backstop as absolutely essential even if Washington is not formally a member of the group. While President Donald Trump has ruled out the deployment of American troops on the ground in Ukraine, some guarantees have been promised but need further specification. The Coalition of the Willing held its meeting at a moment Mr Trump has expressed frustration over the lack of progress following last month’s Alaska summit. The American leader also was not pleased by recent images of Mr Putin standing shoulder to shoulder with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
In Ukraine, Russia has also not drawn down but instead intensified its attacks on Kyiv since the summit between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska yielded next to zero results, and quickly backtracked from any suggestion of a trilateral meeting also including President Zelenskyy. Mr Putin has since faintly suggested he was not opposed to a meeting in principle. At the same time, Russian forces continue targeting civilian areas in Ukraine. In a single night alone last week, 23 people, including children, were killed in drone and missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital. The EU mission and British Council headquarters were damaged in the same attack.
Unbreakable pledge
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Coalition of the Willing had an “unbreakable pledge to Ukraine — with President Trump’s backing.” He stressed that additional pressure needed to be placed on Moscow to bring President Putin to the negotiating table, to secure a cessation of hostilities.
Leaders were expected to speak with Mr Trump some time on Thursday afternoon.
