Zelensky Praises International Push for Security Guarantees After Paris ‘Coalition of the Willing’ Meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday thanked world leaders for their backing after a Paris meeting of a “Coalition of the Willing” that brought together more than 30 countries to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

The session, co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (who participated virtually), included in-person and online participation from governments and envoys as they mapped options to strengthen Ukraine’s security on land, at sea, in the air and in cyberspace. Zelensky said the collective effort is aimed at forging a “reliable” and lasting peace amid the ongoing war with Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump dialed into the meeting. Zelensky offered a “special thanks” to Trump, saying in an online update, “I would like to give special thanks to President Trump for all his efforts to end this war and for America’s readiness to provide support to Ukraine on its part.” Sources at the meeting said Steve Witkoff, whom Trump has assigned to serve as an envoy in the peace talks, attended in person.

Organizers described the gathering as an early step in designing security guarantees that would bind partner states to assistance arrangements intended to deter renewed Russian aggression and provide Ukraine with defensive capacities. Officials said the discussions covered a range of domains — territorial defense, maritime security, air defenses and cyber resilience — but did not disclose specific commitments reached at the meeting.

Attendees emphasized coordination between NATO and non-NATO partners, as well as the role of the European Union in shaping economic and energy measures alongside security arrangements. It was understood that President Trump used his remarks to urge a halt to European purchases of Russian oil, a position he reiterated during the call, according to participants.

The Paris session follows months of diplomatic efforts to marshal international support for Ukraine amid a conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Kyiv has repeatedly sought legally binding security guarantees from Western and other partners as part of any eventual peace arrangement, arguing such guarantees would deter future aggression and underpin reconstruction and reintegration plans.

Participants said they planned further technical work to translate the meeting’s political signals into concrete proposals. Diplomats and defense officials are expected to refine modalities for assistance, verification mechanisms and timelines in follow-up meetings and working groups. No timeline for formal guarantees or treaty arrangements was announced.

The meeting’s co-chairs framed the gathering as a demonstration of international solidarity and a step toward a broader diplomatic process. Zelensky’s public gratitude to participating nations underscored Kyiv’s intent to pursue a coalition-based approach to security that couples military, economic and diplomatic measures.

Representatives at the meeting declined to provide an exhaustive list of participants or to detail bilateral pledges discussed on the record. Organizers said more information would be released as working groups complete their technical assessments and return proposals to political leaders for consideration.