COALITION LEADERS TO ACCOMPANY ZELENSKYY TO CRUCIAL TRUMP MEETING
President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer yesterday co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ Leaders with the participation of President Zelenskyy.
Leaders convened to discuss support for Ukraine and next steps in peace negotiations following President Trump’s meeting with President Putin in Alaska.
The Leaders reaffirmed their continued support to Ukraine, and praised President Zelenskyy’s desire for a just and lasting peace as he prepares for further consultations with President Trump in Washington DC.
The leaders also commended President Trump’s commitment to providing security guarantees to Ukraine, in which the Coalition of the Willing will play a vital role through the Multinational Force Ukraine, among other measures.
They re-emphasised the readiness to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased, and to help secure Ukraine’s skies and seas and regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces.
The President and Prime Minister also informed leaders that they would travel to Washington DC today for a meeting with President Trump, alongside President Zelenskyy.
PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE UKRAINE SITUATION YESTERDAY:
President Trump’s efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.
While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelenskyy. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him.
This morning, I spoke to President Zelenskyy, President Trump and other European partners, and we all stand ready to support this next phase.
I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal. This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more.
In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people.
Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.
KEIR STARMER WAS ALSO A SIGNATORY TO A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ‘COALITION OF THE WILLING EUROPEAN LEADERS:
Statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Starmer, President Stubb, Prime Minister Tusk, President Costa, President von der Leyen:
Early this morning, President Trump debriefed us and President Zelenskyy following his meeting with the Russian President in Alaska on 15 August 2025.
Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.
As President Trump said ‘there’s no deal until there’s a deal’. As envisioned by President Trump, the next step must now be further talks including President Zelenskyy, whom he will meet soon.
We are also ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support.
We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We welcome President Trump’s statement that the US is prepared to give security guarantees.
The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO.
It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force.
Our support to Ukraine will continue. We are determined to do more to keep Ukraine strong in order to achieve an end to the fighting and a just and lasting peace.
As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia. We will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy until there is a just and lasting peace.
Ukraine can count on our unwavering solidarity as we work towards a peace that safeguards Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
UKRAINE’S leader Volodymyr Zelensky travels to Washington tomorrow for talks with the US President Donald Trump.
President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Merz today co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ leaders yesterday
President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Merz co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ Leaders and with the participation of President Zelenskyy and Vice-President Vance, ahead of President Trump’s meeting with President Putin in Alaska.
Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace. They welcomed the open discussions with President Trump earlier that day.
They were clear that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.
It was necessary to continue an approach that combined active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia. A diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
They also reiterated that:
First, meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a lasting and significant cessation of hostilities.
Second, sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy should be strengthened if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in Alaska.
Third, international borders must not be changed by force.
Fourth, Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role, including through plans by those willing to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia could not have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO.
They confirmed they would continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and with the United States of America, and with President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
The ‘Coalition of the Willing’ will meet today as world leaders drive forward action to support a just and enduring peace for Ukraine
Prime Minister Keir Starmer to host around 25 leaders for virtual call in further push for peace
Comes as President Putin tries to play games with President Trump’s peace plan
Keir Starmer will say countries need to strain every sinew to further ramp up economic pressure on Russia and force Putin into negotiations
The ‘Coalition of the Willing’ will meet today as world leaders drive forward action to support a just and enduring peace for Ukraine.
Around 25 countries, including European partners, the EU Commission, NATO, Canada, Ukraine, Australia and New Zealand are expected to join the virtual meeting tomorrow morning.
The Prime Minister will tell leaders that now is the time for concrete commitments as President Putin tries to play pointless games with President Trump’s peace plan.
He will say that countries need to ratchet up economic pressure on Russia, to force Putin into negotiations, in the short term and be prepared to support a just and enduring peace in Ukraine over the long term and continue to ramp up our military support to Ukraine to defend themselves against increasing Russian attacks.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We can’t allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal. The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.
“If Russia finally comes to the table, then we must be ready to monitor a ceasefire to ensure it is a serious, and enduring peace, if they don’t, then we need to strain every sinew to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to secure an end to this war.
“Putin is trying to delay, saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place, but the world needs to see action, not a study or empty words and pointless conditions.
“My message to the Kremlin could not be clearer: stop the barbaric attacks on Ukraine, once and for all, and agree to a ceasefire now.
“Until then we will keep working around the clock to deliver peace.”
The call is expected to delve further into how countries plan to contribute to the Coalition of the Willing, ahead of a military planning session being held next week.
During the session tomorrow morning, leaders are expected to receive an update on progress made at a Chiefs of Defence meeting held in Paris on Tuesday, and updates from countries on efforts to unlock further military aid for Ukraine. The Prime Minister will also pay tribute to the collective European efforts to step up.
The call follows a week of intensive diplomacy by UK ministers after the Defence Secretary travelled to Paris to meet counterparts from Germany, France, Poland and Italy, and the Foreign Secretary travelled to Canada for G7 Foreign Ministers.
It also follows the Prime Minister’s Lancaster House Summit held a fortnight ago, where he again made clear that we must protect our country in a dangerous new era, and deliver on the foundation of security in the government’s Plan for Change.
The government has already accelerated that work, announcing an increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament.
