Paris Summit: Unity Among Allies for Ukraines Security Amid Ongoing Conflict

Key European allies of Ukraine and senior U.S. officials are convening with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on Tuesday, aiming to establish security assurances for any potential ceasefire amid the ongoing conflict fueled by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The meeting, part of a collective known as the Coalition of the Willing, occurs despite continued hostilities nearly four years into Europe’s most severe conflict since World War II.

The recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has unsettled several European nations and introduced new uncertainties across the Atlantic.

Some coalition members are looking to deploy a multinational force in Ukraine to prevent future Russian aggression once the war ignited by Russia’s invasion in February 2022 comes to an end.

However, a ceasefire agreement remains elusive as both parties are at an impasse regarding territorial disputes in a post-war resolution, with Kyiv firmly asserting that Russia must withdraw from the Ukrainian territories it currently occupies.

Russia has consistently opposed any NATO presence in Ukraine to supervise a cessation of fighting.

Delegates from 35 nations, including 27 heads of state, will gather in Paris for this crucial meeting.

The French presidency has stated that the goal of this assembly is to demonstrate the shared commitment among Washington, Kyiv, and their European allies on security guarantees for Ukraine.

Upon arriving in Paris on Tuesday, Zelensky was greeted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace for a private discussion ahead of a lunch with other attendees, including U.S. officials.

Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump, along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, has traveled to the French capital to partake in the coalition meeting inaugurated last year by France and Britain.

Among the leaders present at the Paris discussions were British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as per diplomatic sources.

European leaders have been careful not to outright condemn the U.S. operation to seize Maduro, while also expressing their concerns regarding its ramifications for international law.

Before his departure for Paris, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicated that the purpose of the meeting was to «enhance and align European and American stances.»

He emphasized that «only this kind of pressure can compel Russia to take the ceasefire—and subsequently, peace—seriously.» However, he cautioned against expecting final decisions to materialize in Paris.

An adviser to Macron mentioned on Monday that this latest meeting culminates efforts initiated following Trump’s election to ensure «the United States does not abandon Ukraine.»

European leaders are specifically expected to endorse a unified vision of what a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine should resemble, as well as the response measures in the event of violations.

The discussions will also cover the potential deployment of a multinational force to «provide reassurance to Ukraine» as part of a prospective political agreement, as indicated by the French presidency.

To prepare for this, security advisors from 15 countries, including the UK, France, and Germany, along with representatives from NATO and the EU, met in Kyiv over the weekend, with Witkoff joining the discussions virtually.

Kyiv has recently claimed that a deal is «90%» finalized.

However, Russia, which currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory, is demanding full dominion over the eastern Donbas region as a condition of any agreement.

Kyiv has cautioned that yielding territory would only serve to empower Moscow and stated that it would not endorse a peace deal that does not ensure protection against future invasions.

On Sunday, Merz remarked that diplomatic efforts are being carried out «under challenging circumstances.»

«Russia is displaying minimal inclination to negotiate, President Zelensky is finding it difficult to maintain unity among Ukrainians, and transatlantic cooperation has significantly shifted,» he wrote in a letter to lawmakers, a copy of which AFP obtained on Tuesday.

«We seek a ceasefire that upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty. Therefore, we want such a ceasefire… to be supported by security guarantees from the U.S. and Europe.»