'Coalition Of Willing' Meets To Discuss Post-War Security Guarantees For Ukraine

Leaders from around 30 of Ukraine's Western allies have begun a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss security guarantees for the war-torn country to follow any peace deal reached with Russia to end Europe's largest and deadliest conflict since World War II.

The meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Paris on September 4, which Zelenskyy is attending in person, is looking to define the level of military support the group can provide Kyiv after the war.

The coalition has failed to make much progress so far on mapping out its role in large part because the United States, which will not attend the summit, has yet to commit to a post-war role. Washington's participation is seen as crucial to backstopping the allies' efforts.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on September 3 that he expected "clarity" on what could be delivered. That, he added, would allow discussions with Washington on what guarantees it could provide to ratchet up support.

"I expect tomorrow or soon after tomorrow to have clarity on what collectively we can deliver," NATO chief Mark Rutte told journalists in Brussels.

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US President Donald Trump, who has said European countries will have to shoulder most of the burden in providing the guarantees with Washington backing the operations up "probably...by air," plans to speak with Zelenskyy, along with other European leaders, following the meeting in Paris.

Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, said late last month that the outline of a military component of security guarantees for Ukraine is already taking shape.

Trump has provided no details about what US airpower would be provided, but he has said Washington could support a deployment of European troops envisaged by Coalition of the Willing.

Russia has rejected the idea of European troops on the ground in Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin warning Moscow is willing to "resolve all our tasks militarily" if an acceptable peace agreement cannot be found.

The Coalition of the Willing includes some 30 nations backing Ukraine, mainly European but also Canada, Australia, and Japan.

(RFE/RL/NS)

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