Ukraine allies to gather in Paris to step up pressure on Russia

Allies of Ukraine will gather in Paris on Monday with the war-torn country's leader Volodymyr Zelensky to reaffirm support for Kyiv and step up pressure on Russia, according to the French presidency. 

The summit meeting of the Coalition of the Willing -- launched by France and the United Kingdom to provide military support to Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion -- will push for a ceasefire and renewed peace talks, the French presidency said on Friday. 

At least 25 heads of state will attend the meeting, which comes the day before France's national public holiday Bastille Day. 

Zelensky and other leaders will stay for the military parade on the Champs Elysees in central Paris on July 14, which will highlight support for Ukraine, the Elysee said. 

The summit comes at a "powerful moment of renewed transatlantic convergence and unity", but also of "more favourable developments on the ground" for Kyiv, the Elysee added. 

Monday's meeting will "build further on this momentum... to demonstrate that Ukraine's supporters remain firmly committed to standing alongside the Ukrainian people, that there is absolutely no sign of fatigue, and that Russia cannot count on any such fatigue setting in", an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron said. 

US President Donald Trump, who has sought to maintain relations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin while periodically criticising both Moscow and Kyiv, signalled his intention to offer greater support to Ukraine at the June G7 summit in France and the NATO meeting in Turkey this week. 

Washington last week also advanced bipartisan legislation targeting countries buying Russian energy -- potentially clearing the way for stronger pressure on Moscow. 

 

- Multinational force ready -

 

The coalition's leaders are set to focus on cooperation on air and missile defence with Ukraine, including licensed weapons production in the country. 

The Multinational Force for Ukraine, which would be deployed once the fighting has ended, is to be officially declared ready at the summit, officials in Paris said. 

Future joint military exercises are also to be scheduled, according to Macron.

Launched in February 2025, the coalition has since met more than fifteen times and, on 6 January, in the presence of American envoys, adopted the Paris Declaration setting out security guarantees to protect Ukraine from a new Russian attack as well as monitoring an eventual ceasefire.  

Washington, which has ruled out any deployment of American ground troops, is not formally part of the Coalition of the Willing but would be involved in monitoring a ceasefire. 

France, Britain and Spain have said they are ready to send troops -- something Moscow has warned against, saying any foreign forces would be "legitimate targets".  

A ceasefire, however, remains a distant prospect as fighting continues. 

Ukraine's air defences have come under strain from repeated Russian ballistic missile strikes in recent weeks. 

Washington this month gave Ukraine permission to build US-designed Patriot air defence systems capable of downing ballistic missiles, but it may be months before they enter production.

Zelensky in recent days repeated his plea for allies to send more military aid to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion, now well into its fifth year. 

burs-sw/gv

© Agence France-Presse