European leaders convened in Paris on Thursday in the latest meeting of the “coalition of the willing,” the countries who could help Ukraine fight Russia despite wavering American commitment and who could help safeguard an eventual peace.
France and Britain have been leading the gatherings, with a first meeting in Paris in February and a second in London this month. Top military chiefs have also held meetings. More than 30 officials were attending Thursday’s meeting — mainly European heads of state and government but also top European Union representatives.
Who is willing to do what in the coalition remains unclear, especially when low growth and high debt are complicating the equation for European countries trying to spend more on their militaries.
The biggest question surrounds the idea of a potential “reassurance force” of European troops stationed in Ukraine once the conflict ends to prevent Russia from repeating its 2022 invasion. Britain and France floated the idea, but so far no other country has committed troops to such a force, which is still largely undefined and which Russia has called unacceptable.
Speaking during a briefing with reporters on Thursday, Maria V. Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, called such a mission “military intervention in Ukraine under the guise of a peacekeeping mission.”
“It could lead to a direct military clash between Russia and NATO,” Ms. Zakharova added.
French officials say the latest summit shows that efforts by President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain to mount a joint European response are paying off.
“We are and will remain resolutely at Ukraine’s side,” Mr. Macron said at a news conference on Wednesday evening, after meeting in Paris with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. “The future of the European continent and our security are at stake.”
Mr. Zelensky said he was hoping for “strong new decisions” to emerge from Thursday’s gathering, where leaders were expected to discuss short-term military aid for Ukraine as well as efforts to support a future cease-fire and to bolster the Ukrainian Army.
In a statement released before Thursday’s meeting, Mr. Starmer’s office said that he would tell his counterparts that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia “has shown he’s not a serious player in these peace talks,” and that the Russian leader was making “hollow” promises.
“Now Putin needs to show he’s willing to play ball,” Mr. Starmer will say, according to the statement.
Mr. Starmer’s office said that over 200 military planners had gathered at the British military operational headquarters this week to discuss the “structure of any future force to ensure Ukraine can defend itself from future Russian aggression.”
The role the United States would be willing to play to support that force is also an open question.
President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, called the idea of stationing a European force in Ukraine “simplistic” and “a posture and a pose” — even though the Trump administration has repeatedly berated Europe for doing too little to defend itself. Mr. Trump has not shown any willingness to provide American guarantees of Ukrainian security, which Mr. Starmer has said would be required for most European countries to consider committing troops.
Mr. Macron reiterated on Wednesday that any European force would not be on the front lines of the conflict and would not be tasked with monitoring or enforcing a cease-fire — a job that he suggested could fall to United Nations peacekeepers. Instead, he said, European troops would be based farther from the front lines, to deter Russia, and would help train and support Ukrainian forces.
“It’s a pacifist approach,” Mr. Macron said. “The only ones who would start a conflict or a belligerent situation would be the Russians if they decided to launch a new aggression.”
Mr. Zelensky echoed that, telling reporters, “No one wants to prolong this war and get another country involved.” A foreign contingent, he said, would “control the situation, monitor it, carry out joint training” and “prevent any desire by Russia to return with renewed waves of aggression.”
A senior official in the French presidency, who, in keeping with French practice, briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said that the European efforts to help Ukraine were “done transparently and in perfect harmony with our American partners, who are interested in this approach and have told us that it’s a good one.” Mr. Macron spoke to Mr. Trump by phone before Thursday’s meeting, the French presidency said.
The Trump administration’s sudden policy shifts and Europe’s urgent calls to spend more on defense are a vindication for Mr. Macron, who has argued since the beginning of his presidency that Europe needed more “strategic autonomy” and less dependence on American military support.
Still, the French official acknowledged that not all countries were willing or able to put troops on the ground.
Mark Landler contributed reporting from London; Ivan Nechepurenko from Tbilisi, Georgia; and Maria Varenikova from Kyiv, Ukraine.