World leaders will gather in Paris on Thursday for a high-stakes summit on Ukraine and to lay the groundwork for long-term security guarantees.
According to the Élysée Palace, 31 countries, including NATO allies, EU member states, and non-EU countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Norway are expected to attend.
On Wednesday evening, Macron will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris for a working dinner ahead of the summit.
What is the ‘Coalition of the Willing?’
The summit’s primary goal is to finalise what security guarantees European nations are willing to offer — including whether they will consider deploying peacekeeping troops on the ground in Ukraine, still embroiled in Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year.
France, the UK and Ukraine are also reportedly working on presenting a peace treaty to the US, which will likely be discussed on Thursday.
The countries that agree to this deal would form a “coalition of the willing”.
Thursday’s summit comes at a pivotal moment as the United States announced it had brokered a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea.
French officials, however, remain cautious. “There’s still a long way to go,” the Élysée Palace warned, describing the agreement as a “first step” but insufficient for a lasting ceasefire.
Paris insists that all efforts are being conducted in full coordination with Washington. “All this is being done in complete transparency with our American partners,” the Élysée stated, with Macron set to brief US President Donald Trump on the summit’s outcomes.
Tensions have been escalating between the US and the EU. On Tuesday, Trump’s top national security officials laid bare their disdain for Europe in a top-secret group chat that was leaked when a journalist was mistakenly added to the conversation.
“I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s pathetic,” said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, leaving EU officials fuming.
One of the summit’s primary goals is to bolster aid to Ukraine, with each participating country expected to outline what it is prepared to do.
Another focus will be securing a “complete ceasefire,” accepted by Ukraine, but on which Russia has yet to state its position.
But France remains sceptical of any Russian promises. “We know what kind of cheating and manipulation Russia has already shown itself capable of,” an Élysée source remarked.
Thirdly, to provide long-term support for the Ukrainian army as Europe’s “first line of defence… to prevent further Russian aggression,” said Macron’s entourage.
The most sensitive issue, however, will be the possible establishment of a “reassurance force.”
This could involve deploying peacekeeping troops, an option strongly backed by France and the UK.
The question of whether to send peacekeeping troops is a thorny subject among the 27-nation bloc, with countries such as Italy and Poland opposing this outcome.
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