French President Emmanuel Macron will host President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Elysee Palace on March 26 to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine ahead of the "coalition of the willing" summit, Le Monde reported on March 25, citing an official statement.
The Paris summit on March 27 will bring together Germany, Poland, the U.K., and other coalition members who have pledged to support Ukraine's post-war security.
The initiative was first introduced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a March 2 summit in London, where European and other leaders discussed support for Kyiv.
Over 30 countries have expressed willingness to contribute to the coalition's peacekeeping force, Starmer's spokesperson said on March 17, confirming that the initiative has entered an "operational phase."
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Feb. 24 that Russian President Vladimir Putin would allow European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a settlement, though Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly rejected the idea.
During his meeting with Zelensky, Macron is also expected to reaffirm France's commitment to increasing military and financial aid for Ukraine, according to Le Monde.
On March 13, France's National Assembly passed a resolution calling for enhanced support for Kyiv and the seizure of frozen Russian assets.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
