Twenty-six nations from the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” are ready to contribute to Ukraine’s post-war security guarantees, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The two told reporters the outcome of Thursday’s coalition meeting during a joint press conference.
Macron said 35 nations participated in Thursday’s meeting.
“There are 35 of us today around this table – those who have reacted to Russia’s war of aggression and those who wish today for a just and lasting peace,” he said.
According to Macron, 26 nations out of the 35 – the list of which is not currently available – have agreed to provide some form of security for Ukraine, including troop deployments.
“We have today 26 countries who have formally committed – some others have not yet taken a position – to deploy as a ‘reassurance force’ troops in Ukraine, or be present on the ground, in the sea, or in the air,” Macron said.
The force will also include countries outside of Europe, according to Macron.
“It is now clear that the members of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ in its entirety, European but also Asian, members from the Pacific or Canada, have shouldered their responsibilities,” he said
Macron added that the troops will not be deployed to the front, but in areas in the rear that are yet to be defined.
“It will be deployed in the case of a ceasefire, not on the frontlines but in areas that are still being defined, but they aim to prevent any major aggression and to implicate these 26 states very clearly in the lasting security of Ukraine,” he said.
Macron added that “this force has neither the will nor the objective of leading a war against Russia.”
Previously, it was reported that 10 coalition members were ready to send troops – though the size of the contingent and precise mechanisms were not finalized.
The coalition also held a call with US President Donald Trump, on which Macron said US support for the security guarantees will be finalized “in the coming days.”
“In the coming days, we are going to finalize the American support for these security guarantees. The US, as I have said, has been implicated in every step of this process and I want to thank, obviously, whether it may be military personnel or civilians, political representatives who have led this work,” Macron said.
Macron previously said the guarantees will be ready the day a peace deal is signed.
At the press conference, Macron also threatened more sanctions for Moscow – alongside the US – should it fail to show progress towards peace.
Meanwhile, Zelensky reiterated his position that Moscow is dragging out the peace talks and said he is not opposed to meeting Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
“The meeting is necessary. It’s not about desire, it’s necessary. We supported both the trilateral meeting and the bilateral one in any format. I believe that Russia is doing everything to postpone it,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky also addressed Putin’s comments from Wednesday, in which Putin suggested that Zelensky come to Moscow for the talks.
“I believe that if you want the meeting not to happen, you should invite me to Moscow,” he said.
In an X update following the coalition meeting, Zelensky also hinted at the outcome, which appears to center on bolstering the military in post-war Ukraine against a potential Russian invasion.