President Zelenskyy met Macron in Paris during the Coalition of the Willing meeting, discussing diplomacy, air defense, multinational support, and aligning positions with European and U.S. partners.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Paris on January 6, where he will take part in a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing on Ukraine. In particular, he met with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
He wrote about this on Telegram, according to Espreso.TV.
“Every delivery of air defense missiles saves lives and strengthens the chances for diplomacy. That is why every meeting must bring concrete results — new decisions on air defense, new aid packages, and new capabilities to protect the skies,” the Ukrainian president emphasized.
Zelenskyy noted that he discussed with Macron Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian terror, as well as protection and support that “can strengthen our positions in diplomacy.”
“We also had a very substantive discussion about diplomacy and our steps. Today in Paris, the most representative meeting of the Coalition of the Willing is taking place: state leaders, heads of international organizations, ministerial-level officials, and ambassadors. We are preparing important political steps,” he added.
Earlier, Suspilne reported, citing the Élysée Palace schedule, that Zelenskyy will take part in the Coalition of the Willing meeting. He is also scheduled to have a working lunch with the U.S. delegation and hold a working meeting with Macron.
Reuters notes that the meeting will also be attended by 27 foreign leaders, as well as Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Citing a memo received by 35 invited delegations, the news agency writes that the Coalition meeting will focus on contributions to a multinational force for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire — in coordination with Ukraine and with U.S. support.
The document also proposes agreeing on next steps to increase support for Kyiv and step up pressure on Moscow.
“We have reached agreement on the operational details of the security guarantees. We will explain how they are structured and the need for long-term commitments from all participants,” an Élysée Palace official told journalists.
Meanwhile, European officials told Radio Svoboda that after meetings of national security advisers last weekend and talks among military planners on January 5, “a sense of urgency has returned.” They hope the Paris meeting will allow the United States, Ukraine, and European countries to align their positions.
French President Emmanuel Macron, for his part, said he hopes to present “concrete commitments” on Ukraine’s security following the talks. The idea is to achieve clarity on the composition and deployment of peacekeeping forces in the event of a ceasefire.
At the same time, military plans have not yet been disclosed. It is known that the bulk of the forces would likely come from France and the United Kingdom, which would lead the ground and air components. Turkey, meanwhile, has said it would be responsible for securing transport routes in the Black Sea. However, there is still no clear understanding of how close the potential forces would be deployed to the line of contact.
As previously reported, Zelenskyy plans to hold a new meeting with Trump in January, during which the leaders are expected to discuss the details of a peace plan. Talks are currently ongoing with representatives of the general staffs of European countries supporting Ukraine on security guarantees.
What is the “Coalition of the Willing”?
The Coalition of the Willing is an informal grouping of countries that support Ukraine in its war against Russia. The initiative emerged earlier this year, when European countries led by France and the United Kingdom decided to step up efforts to ensure Ukraine’s security amid the unpredictable policies of Donald Trump.
The coalition mainly includes NATO countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Baltic states, Denmark, and the Netherlands, as well as partners outside the Alliance, including Australia, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand.
On January 5, it became known that Donald Trump’s special envoy and the U.S. leader’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would take part in the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing on Ukraine in Paris.
Tags: Air Defense Coalition of the Willing Emmanuel Macron EMPR.media France Ukraine Ukraine Diplomacy zelenskyy
