At least 25 heads of state and government, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, will gather in Paris on Monday for the "Coalition of the Willing" summit, with the aim of strengthening support for Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia.
The news was announced by the Elysee Palace, which emphasized that the meeting aims to promote the achievement of a ceasefire and the resumption of peace negotiations.
The coalition, created at the initiative of France and Great Britain, includes 35 countries, mainly European, which support Ukraine militarily and are considering providing security guarantees, including the possibility of deploying troops on the ground after a peace agreement is reached. Moldova and North Macedonia will also join the summit.
The meeting takes place on the eve of the French national holiday of July 14, while the traditional military parade on the Champs-Élysées will be dedicated to support for Ukraine.
According to the French presidency, the summit comes at an important moment for transatlantic unity, while US President Donald Trump has recently expressed his willingness to increase support for Ukraine and pressure on Moscow.
An adviser to President Emmanuel Macron said the meeting aims to show that Ukraine's allies remain steadfast in their support and that Russia should not count on the fatigue of its Western partners.
The focus of the discussions will be on strengthening Ukraine's air and anti-ballistic defense, as well as expanding cooperation in licensed weapons production on Ukrainian territory.
Also, the multinational force planned to be deployed in Ukraine after the end of the war will begin military exercises outside Ukrainian territory, as an operational headquarters has already been set up near Paris.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will also attend the July 14 military parade, along with representatives of countries that militarily support Kiev.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Italian President Sergio Mattarella have also confirmed their participation in the summit, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will not be present.
