The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the documents of the Coalition of the Willing signed on January 7 as substantive: a joint declaration of all Coalition countries and a trilateral declaration by France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
This was reported on the President’s website.
“With these documents, we are strengthening further legal work within countries — with parliaments — so that when diplomacy succeeds in ending the war, we are fully prepared to deploy the forces of the Coalition of the Willing. The details are worked out within a system of other documents”, — Zelenskyy said.
The President noted that the Coalition determined which countries are ready to take leadership in security guarantees on land, in the air, at sea, and in Ukraine’s recovery.
“It has been determined which forces are needed, how they will be managed, and at which levels command will operate. Monitoring mechanisms must be clearly defined. It must be absolutely clear how the appropriate strength and size of the Ukrainian army will be supported and financed”, — Zelenskyy emphasized.
He added that the militaries of France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine worked in detail on deployment, numbers, specific weapons, and Armed Forces components required and capable of functioning.
The President thanked every leader and state ready to be part of a peaceful solution.
According to him, there was a detailed discussion with the American team regarding peace monitoring.
“America is ready to work on this. This is very important for us. One of the most important components is deterrence — tools that will prevent renewed Russian aggression”, — Zelenskyy assured.
Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine and the United States have made progress on documents related to security guarantees.
He stressed that signing may occur in the near future and that work on these formats is already underway. Ukraine values the willingness of the United States to support forces intended to prevent renewed Russian aggression.
“An American backstop is important for us. We understand the potential timeline of these processes, and we all agree that security guarantees must be based on legal obligations, including approval by the U.S. Congress”, — the President emphasized.
During the meeting, ideas to help resolve territorial issues were also discussed, with special attention given to strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, as Russia continues strikes against energy infrastructure, civilian infrastructure, and peaceful cities and villages.
“That is why every meeting — including discussions on air defense. We talked about this with President Trump in Mar-a-Lago — I thank him very much for his understanding and support — and here in Paris we are also raising the issue of air defense”, — Zelenskyy stressed.
French President Emmanuel Macron noted that Coalition states laid the groundwork for ceasefire monitoring, expressed support for the Ukrainian army, and discussed preparations for multinational forces to guarantee security after a ceasefire. He emphasized the importance of finalizing Ukraine’s economic recovery plan.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the Coalition must guarantee Ukraine’s long-term security, and the joint declaration demonstrates such intentions.
He emphasized that Russia shows no willingness to compromise and continues shelling, so partners must strengthen Ukraine and pressure the aggressor, including its energy sector and shadow fleet.
German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed the importance of securing an agreement that, unlike the Minsk agreements, is based on sustainable security guarantees. According to him, Coalition partners will continue strengthening Ukraine.
U.S. presidential envoy Steven Witkoff said the parties are working on important documents for achieving peace and Ukraine’s recovery and have already made significant progress.
This was the most representative meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.
From the U.S. side, participants included Steven Witkoff, Jared Kushner, U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, and General Alexus Grynkewich.
Participants also included presidents of Lithuania, Romania, Finland; prime ministers of Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Sweden; the Presidents of the European Council and European Commission; the NATO Secretary General; the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; ministers from Austria, Ireland, Cyprus, Turkey; the UK Chief of Defence Staff; the Chief of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces; and representatives of Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
