Paris, January 6, 2026 – Leaders from 27 nations and representatives from eight others gathered in Paris today, forming a "Coalition of the Willing" comprising 35 countries committed to providing robust security guarantees to Ukraine following any future ceasefire.
The coalition, led by the UK and France, agreed to deploy a multinational force with military hubs in both countries. The force will focus on deterrence, reassurance, and rebuilding Ukrainian capabilities across land, sea, and air domains.
Key participants included Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine itself.
The United States endorsed the plan through envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, offering monitoring, intelligence, and logistics support without committing troops.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte attended but emphasized that guarantees remain separate from the alliance; NATO continues support via the NSATU coordination body and PURL equipment initiative.
French President Emmanuel Macron: "On 6 January in Paris, many European states and allies will make concrete commitments to protect Ukraine and ensure a just and lasting peace."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "These are not just words. There is concrete content: a joint declaration by all the coalition countries and a trilateral declaration by France, Britain, and Ukraine."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer: The UK and France will establish "military hubs" across Ukraine post-ceasefire to support defensive needs.
US envoy Jared Kushner: "This does not mean that we will make peace, but peace would not be possible without the progress that was made here today."
The declaration marks a significant step toward post-conflict security architecture, though no ceasefire exists amid ongoing Russian advances and Ukrainian asymmetric operations.
