European leaders were meeting in Paris on Thursday after French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that several countries including Britain and Germany are prepared to assure Ukraine's security once the conflict with Russia has ended.
"We are ready for these security guarantees," Macron said on the eve of the summit as he welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Élysée Palace in Paris.
"Europe is ready, for the first time with this level of commitment and intensity."
Macron co-chaired the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing – about 30 countries – with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The talks brought together top officials including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was also among those attending.
Following their discussions, Macron and Starmer were due to speak by telephone with US President Donald Trump. A White House meeting in Washington with Zelensky is also planned.
The coalition is exploring ways to strengthen the Ukrainian army. Macron said some countries including France, Britain and Belgium are prepared to deploy soldiers to Ukraine once a ceasefire has been agreed, in order to deter Russia from further aggression.
Other allies remain hesitant, waiting for the US to make its contribution. Several European capitals consider American backing essential before making any commitments of their own.
German Chancellor Merz said there would be "considerable reservations" in Berlin about sending troops.
"Until a ceasefire is reached, there will certainly be no deployment of troops in Ukraine, and even after that, I have considerable reservations about this with regard to Germany," he told broadcaster Sat.1.
NATO chief Rutte stressed the importance of clarity from Washington. Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday, he said the Paris gathering was "an important meeting" that should make clear "what collectively we can deliver" and also "what the American side wants to deliver".
Russia reiterated on Thursday that it would not accept any "foreign intervention of any kind". Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described Kyiv's requests for protection as "guarantees of danger for the European continent".
Rutte dismissed that position while speaking at a security conference in Prague. "Why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? (...) It's not up to them to decide," he said.
'NATO-style guarantees'
While the details remain under discussion, leaders agreed on the principle that Ukraine's security must rest on tangible commitments rather than promises alone.
Zelensky and senior officials in Kyiv, including presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, have called for NATO-style guarantees or even a European peacekeeping force if NATO membership remains out of reach. They argue that without such backing, Russia could exploit any pause in fighting to regroup and strike again.
Macron's office has said European capitals have pledged enough contributions to make a serious offer.
"We are ready," the Élysée said this week, but added that Washington also needed to step up. The French presidency stressed that Europeans can take responsibility "as long as [the Americans] take on theirs – meaning giving European partners a backstop".
That could include intelligence-sharing, logistical support or advanced communications, though not US troops on the ground. Trump has been categorical on that point.
At a recent meeting of military chiefs, European governments were urged to pin down their contributions. The Paris summit is expected to turn those commitments into a clearer framework to present to Washington.
Trump, meanwhile, has been pursuing his own diplomacy. Having welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska last month, he has been trying – unsuccessfully so far – to arrange a summit between Putin and Zelensky.
His frustration was plain on Tuesday when he admitted to being “very disappointed” with Putin for failing to move towards a peace deal.
