Paris: Leaders gathered Thursday in Paris for a ‘coalition of the willing’ summit to discuss military support and security guarantees for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk were among the leaders who arrived at the summit at the Elysee Palace.
According to Anadolu Agency, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also participated in the meeting, which brought together around 30 delegations. The talks aim to strengthen Ukraine’s position in negotiations with Russia and ensure that Europe has a voice in shaping a potential peace agreement.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated, “The objective is to allow Ukraine to keep the situation on the ground and resist the Russian aggression, while building credible elements for a lasting peace,” during a joint press conference with Zelenskyy on Wednesday evening. Zelenskyy echoed the sentiment by emphasizing the need for new and decisive actions, particularly regarding security guarantees and the presence of partner contingents in Ukraine.
This marks the third summit of its kind since the new US administration altered its Ukraine policy and began direct negotiations with Russia without European involvement.