Sir Keir Starmer has met with world leaders in Paris for the third meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing”, a group convened by the prime minister and French President Emmanuel Macron to bolster support for Ukraine against Russia.
Some 30 leaders have gathered to discuss Ukraine’s ongoing security after the US brokered a ceasefire agreement between Moscow and Kyiv over the Black Sea earlier this week, which the Kremlin says cannot commence unless certain conditions are met.
The Elysee Palace summit follows several meetings led by the prime minister involving more than 200 military planners from across the globe to hash out details of a potential peacekeeping force that could help monitor and enforce any potential formal peace agreement reached between Moscow and Kyiv.
Ahead of the summit this morning, Sir Keir met with Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte and the pair agreed Europe “must do everything possible” to back Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
Russia did not accept an earlier 30-day ceasefire agreement reached in Ukraine and US negotiations, and said the Black Sea truce could only begin once some sanctions were lifted. The Kremlin has said any broader work towards peace would take time.
What is the coalition of the willing?
The coalition was announced by Sir Keir at the start of March, following a summit on Ukraine he hosted in London.
It was formed to help bolster Ukraine’s defences against Russia, including through increasing military aid.
Just days after that first meeting, the US temporarily suspended intelligence sharing with Kyiv, pushing European leaders to hold crisis talks on what further support they could provide to Ukraine.
A central part of the point of the coalition of the willing is to create a peacekeeping force, Sir Keir has previously said, which would help enforce any ceasefire on the ground in Ukraine.
A peacekeeping force would help “guarantee Ukraine’s future security”, he said last week, addingn that what action the force would take was subject to meetings with military experts from around the world.
Who does it include?
The group is led by Sir Keir and Mr Macron alongside Mr Zelensky.
The world leaders include
- Italian Prime Miniser Giorgia Melono
- Portugal’s Prime Minister Luis Montenegro
- Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides
- Spanish Prime Ministe: Pedro Sanchez
- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
- Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic
- Lithuanian chairman Gitanas Nauseda
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk
- Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
- Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala
- Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson
- Finland’s President Alexander Stubb
- Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen
- Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir
- Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever
- Turkey’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz
Besides the country leaders, the group also includes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Antonio Costa, and Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte.
What have some of those leaders said?
French president Emmanuel Macron said European troops deployed in Ukraine to monitor a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow could respond to a Russian attack if it occured.
“If there was again a generalised aggression against Ukrainian soil, these armies would be under attack and then it’s our usual framework of engagement,” Mr Macron said ahead of this week’s summit.
“Our soldiers, when they are engaged and deployed, are there to react and respond to the decisions of the commander in chief and, if they are in a conflict situation, to respond to it.”
The Ukrainian president said Europe must be strong and united in the face of Russia’s aggression ahead of the summit.
“This is not the time to reduce pressure on Russia or weaken our unity for the sake of peace. What we need is more strong, joint steps to bring about real peace. Sanctions against Russia must remain in force and be strengthened—for as long as Russian occupation continues,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.
Ursula von der Leyen said the summit was also about strengthening the security of Europe “as a whole”.
“Reinforcing Ukraine to defend itself is the starting point. We also need a common and long-term plan,” she said on X.
What does it hope to do?
The central focus of the coalition of the willing is a peacekeeping force, and European leaders are expected to discuss what, exactly, they are willing to contribute to a military effort on the ground in Ukraine.
The group also needs support from the US, which has provided crucial intelligence information to Ukraine throughout the conflict.
So far only the UK and France have committed to providing troops to the cause, and Sir Keir will present a detailed plan on what that peacekeeping force could provide to leaders at the Elysee Palace on Thursday.
The leaders are also expected to discuss ongoing military aid and funding to bolster Ukraine’s military.
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