PARIS – In a significant diplomatic mobilization, key Western allies assembled in Paris on Tuesday for high-stakes negotiations aimed at establishing concrete security guarantees for Ukraine. The summit, attended by representatives from 35 nations including 27 heads of state, represents the latest coordinated effort to address Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War II.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the French capital for afternoon talks following preliminary discussions among coalition members. The gathering, dubbed the ‘Coalition of the Willing’, includes participation from US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, dispatched by President Donald Trump to engage in the dialogue initiated last year by France and Britain.
The Paris meeting occurs against a backdrop of intensified geopolitical complexities. The recent detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a key Russian ally, by US forces has introduced additional transatlantic tensions, with European leaders expressing measured concern regarding implications for international law.
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for breakfast at the Élysée Palace ahead of scheduled meetings with Zelensky and American delegates. The assembly also includes UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, signaling broad Western engagement.
Central to discussions is the proposed deployment of a multinational force to Ukraine as a deterrent against future Russian aggression, should hostilities cease. However, diplomatic progress remains constrained by fundamental disagreements over territorial control, with Kyiv maintaining that Russia must completely withdraw from occupied Ukrainian territories before any settlement can be reached.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized the meeting’s objective to ‘tighten and align European and American positions,’ noting that only unified Western pressure could compel Russia to seriously consider ceasefire negotiations. An advisor to President Macron characterized the summit as the culmination of efforts to prevent ‘the United States from abandoning Ukraine’ since the Trump administration took office.
Despite Kyiv’s assertion that a potential agreement is ’90 percent’ complete, Russia continues to demand full control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, which it currently partially occupies. German Chancellor Merz acknowledged diplomatic efforts are proceeding ‘under difficult conditions,’ citing Russia’s limited willingness to negotiate and challenges in maintaining transatlantic cooperation.