The defense ministers from what is known as the "Coalition of the Willing" will convene at NATO on Thursday afternoon to deliberate on the resources they can offer to bolster Ukraine’s defenses should a peace agreement be reached with Russia. However, similar to previous meetings, the United States will not take part in this discussion.
Leaders from 30 nations will participate in a conference organized by France and the United Kingdom to engage in practical talks aimed at establishing a support force for Ukraine designed to deter possible aggressive actions by Russia.
Following the visit of French and British military delegates to Kyiv, who held discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and other top military figures regarding strategic planning, this meeting has been scheduled.
"We can’t risk losing peace by ignoring the ongoing conflict, which means we need to increase the pressure on Putin and enhance our backing for Ukraine – not just in their current struggle but also in efforts towards achieving lasting peace,” UK Defence Secretary John Healey reportedly plans to say at the meeting.
We are dedicated to ensuring Ukraine is in the best possible position to safeguard its sovereignty and prevent any further Russian aggression.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who led a summit of leaders at the end of last month addressing this matter, stated that the force might be positioned in "strategic" cities within Ukraine And that the trip to Ukraine by military personnel aimed to determine which sites would be most suitable.
However, Macron mentioned that not all of the 33 delegations attending the summit were willing to participate, and their involvement wouldn’t just include air, land, and naval forces in Ukraine; it would also encompass logistical and intelligence capabilities.
For example, Poland has stated it cannot contribute troops due to the threat posed by Belarus, whereas Greece cited the danger from Turkey as their reason for not providing forces.
A significant concern for certain nations, like Italy, revolves around the United States' involvement.
Many of the nations within the alliance concur that what is referred to as a "US fallback" position is essential. This includes offering aerial defense support along with collaborative intelligence sharing, which these countries aim to obtain from Washington.
Macron and his British equivalent, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have both had meetings with US President Donald Trump and have maintained consistent communication with him to update him on the talks happening at the European level. However, Washington has not yet agreed to participate in such a coalition.
The United States has withdrawn from the Ukraine Defense Coordination Group, commonly referred to as the Ramstein group, a body it previously led during Joe Biden’s former administration. It is unlikely that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will attend the group's upcoming meeting on Friday, where representatives from around 50 nations are anticipated to participate.