French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that 26 of Ukraine’s allies have agreed to deploy a “reassurance force” once fighting with Russia ends, aiming to guarantee the war-torn nation’s long-term security.
The announcement came after a meeting in Paris of the “coalition of the willing,” a group of 35 pro-Ukraine countries.
Macron explained that the reassurance force would involve land, sea, or air deployments but stressed it was “not intended to wage war against Russia.” Instead, its mission would be to deter renewed aggression and anchor Ukraine’s stability. He added that planning details would be finalised with US input, noting that Washington had signalled willingness to participate.
Earlier in the day, Macron and European leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US peace envoy Steve Witkoff. Zelenskyy also held a private meeting with Witkoff. Both Zelenskyy and Macron emphasised US support as vital, with Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisting that the European reassurance force must have American backing.
The talks also included a phone call with US President Donald Trump. Starmer’s office said Trump reaffirmed support for Ukraine and urged Europe to halt Russian oil and gas purchases, which he said funneled €1.1 billion annually into Moscow’s war chest. Trump also pressed European leaders to apply economic pressure on China for indirectly aiding Russia’s war effort.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, through spokesman Stefan Kornelius, outlined three key action areas: working toward a summit with Zelenskyy, negotiating a ceasefire, and strengthening sanctions if Moscow stalls diplomacy. Zelenskyy stressed the need for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling such a meeting “a matter of necessity.” Putin, while backed by China, said this week he believes “common sense” could lead to a settlement, praising Trump’s “sincere desire” for peace.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that Russian aggression poses a broader threat to Europe. Citing intelligence suggesting Moscow may target other European nations, he stressed the importance of overwhelming deterrence to prevent further escalation. “We cannot be naive about Russia,” Rutte said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 112 strikes and decoy drones overnight Thursday, with defenses intercepting or jamming 84 of them. In a separate development, Russia expelled an Estonian diplomat after Tallinn recently expelled a Russian official, continuing a tit-for-tat diplomatic row.