Photo: president.gov.ua
Meetings on the sidelines of the “coalition of the willing” summit in Paris and subsequent talks in Cyprus involving President Volodymyr Zelensky produced new political commitments, declarations of intent and signed documents for Ukraine, while also outlining next steps toward EU membership. At the same time, Russia sought to undermine the diplomatic momentum with renewed military pressure.
Ahead of the Paris summit, Zelensky held bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, focusing on air defense, protection from Russian attacks and strengthening Ukraine’s position in diplomacy. The summit itself, hosted at the Élysée Palace, brought together leaders from 27 countries as well as representatives from Turkey, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the EU and NATO, alongside members of the U.S. presidential team. Discussions centered on shaping credible security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire and a broader settlement.
Following the talks, participants signed a joint declaration of the “coalition of the willing” and a separate trilateral declaration by Ukraine, France and the United Kingdom. The documents set out plans for U.S.-led monitoring of a potential ceasefire, long-term military support for Ukraine, possible deployment of multinational forces, assistance in the event of renewed Russian aggression, and deeper defense cooperation.
European leaders and U.S. representatives stressed unity in backing Ukraine, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcoming progress toward practical security arrangements. Several countries signaled readiness to take leading roles in air, sea or land components of future guarantees, though not all partners agreed to deploy troops on Ukrainian territory.
Parallel to the leaders’ meetings, Ukrainian officials held extensive working-level talks with U.S. and European counterparts in Paris on security guarantees, deterrence and the framework for ending the war. Ukrainian officials said discussions were increasingly moving from political statements to concrete solutions.
Zelensky then continued the diplomatic track in Cyprus, where talks focused on accelerating Ukraine’s EU accession process, including the opening of the first negotiation clusters, as well as additional air defense support. EU leaders reaffirmed that Ukraine’s security is inseparable from Europe’s and pledged continued support on the path to membership.
Russia, however, reacted by escalating military pressure. Shortly after the European declarations, Russian forces carried out a high-profile strike on Lviv, which Ukrainian officials and analysts described as an attempt to intimidate Europe and derail peace efforts. Moscow has also rejected the idea of Western peacekeepers in Ukraine, calling them a threat — a stance analysts say complicates U.S. and European plans for a post-war security arrangement.
Despite the progress in diplomacy, Ukrainian officials and observers note that Moscow continues to pursue a strategy of delay, seeking to weaken Western resolve while avoiding meaningful engagement with the proposed peace framework.
