Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, welcomed the news that 26 nations have agreed to offer postwar security guarantees to Ukraine. This pledge comes as more than 30 countries are involved in a robust conversation. Most of these countries are European, though Canada, Australia and Japan participate. In a bid to finalize these security guarantees, Macron hosted an online video call summit — held at the Élysée presidential palace in Paris — with India and the U.S.
The convening brought together the trailblazing heads of state from the “coalition of the willing.” They worked to secure that all-important support from Donald Trump—something European leaders know his backing is key to turning these guarantees into action. It’s not the first time Trump has called for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The convening fell on the first of September. Zelenskyy expressed skepticism, stating he had not seen “any signs from Russia that they want to end the war.”
During the duration of the summit, Macron specified that the troops would not be deployed “on the frontline.” Instead, as they will be used to “deter any new big invasion.” This announcement is part of a larger strategy to support Ukraine’s defense while avoiding a deeper military commitment. Despite this pledge, most European countries, even Germany, Spain, and Italy have still not promised any troops to the effort.
In more encouraging news, the U.S. State Department recently launched. They’re collectively producing 3,350 ERAM long-range cruise missiles for Ukraine, worth an astounding $825 million. Funding for this military support has come from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States.
Macron stressed the significance of the pledges made at the summit being both measurable and meaningful. He stated, “We have today 26 countries who have formally committed – some others have not yet taken a position – to deploy a ‘reassurance force’ troops in Ukraine, or be present on the ground, in the sea or in the air.” He further remarked that “the day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed.”
Zelenskyy hailed this pledge as an important step in the direction of providing Ukraine with security guarantees in the postwar setting. He acknowledged that this combined promise signifies a significant turning point in international assistance for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s aggression.
Russian officials have issued repeated threats against any such deployment of European troops on the territory of postwar Ukraine. The Kremlin has made clear that it will not put up with any such moves.
Friedrich Merz, a prominent German politician, described Putin as “the most severe war criminal of our time,” underscoring the urgency of international action against Russian military operations. Meanwhile, Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, echoed sentiments shared by other leaders regarding the need to curb Putin’s influence. He stated, “We really have to stop making Putin too powerful.”
In tandem with these public negotiations, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff was present at the Paris talks and had separate one-on-one meetings with Zelenskyy. The engagement provided a timely reminder of the complex and manifold diplomatic initiatives currently being pursued to seek an end to hostilities in Ukraine.
A spokesperson for the German government emphasized that “the focus should be on financing, arming and training the Ukrainian armed forces.” This statement represents an emerging agreement among Western allies and partners on the right strategy to build Ukraine’s long-term military capabilities.
As conversations proceed about Ukraine’s long-term future and security requirements, leaders are mindful that time is not on our side. The continuing armed hostilities have led to widespread civilian deaths and forced evacuations. Trump encapsulated this urgency by stating, “Thousands of people are dying; it’s a senseless war.”