The United States has for the first time backed a broad coalition of Ukraine's allies in vowing to provide security guarantees that leaders said would include binding commitments to support the country if it is attacked by Russia again. The agreement followed a "coalition of the willing" summit in Paris in which Ukraine's allies agreed to deploy troops in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a declaration of intent on Tuesday in Paris at the "coalition of the willing" summit of mainly European nations.
The declaration foresees Britain, France and other European allies deploying troops on Ukrainian territory after any ceasefire with Russia.
The allies also agreed to participate in a proposed US-led ceasefire monitoring and vertification mechanism.
Macron said that Paris could deploy "several thousand" French troops to Ukraine after the war.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said that President Donald Trump "strongly stands behind security protocols".
"Those security protocols are meant to ... deter any attacks, any further attacks in Ukraine, and ... if there are any attacks, they're meant to defend, and they will do both. They are as strong as anyone has ever seen."
But a promise that Washington would commit to "support" the European-led multinational force "in case of a new attack" by Russia, which was present in the draft statement, was not in the communique released on Tuesday evening.
US and Ukrainian officials are to continue talks over security guarantees for Kyiv on Wednesday.
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Peace with guarantees
Talks to bring the almost four-year conflict to an end have accelerated since November. However, Moscow has yet to signal willingness to make concessions after Kyiv pushed for changes to a US proposal that initially backed Russia's main demands.
Until recently, much of the focus was on pledges of military aid for Ukraine's forces and possible contributions to an international reassurance force.
Attention has now shifted to legally binding guarantees to come to Kyiv's aid in the event of another attack by Moscow. The possibility of a military response is likely to trigger debate in many European countries, diplomats say.
"These commitments may include the use of military capabilities, intelligence and logistical support, diplomatic initiatives, adoption of additional sanctions," the leaders' statement said, adding that they would now "finalise binding commitments".
"We all want ... peace (in Ukraine) to be fair, lasting and clear-eyed… we want this peace to have its guarantees," Macron told a news conference after the summit.
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Renewed unity
European leaders present at the meeting, including Macron, Starmer, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed that the statement showed renewed unity between Europe and the United States on helping Ukraine.
The leaders' statement also pledged a European-led "Multinational Force for Ukraine ... to support the rebuilding of Ukraine's armed forces and support deterrence" with "the proposed support of the US".
Kyiv has long said it cannot be safe without guarantees that are comparable to the Nato alliance's mutual defence agreement, to deter Russia from attacking again.
Moscow wants any peace deal to bar Ukraine from military alliances.
(with newswires)
