European ‘Coalition of the Willing’ Backs Postwar Security Plan for Ukraine, Including Troop Force

PARIS — In a chandeliered reception room steps from the Seine, European leaders and U.S. envoys on Monday endorsed the most detailed blueprint yet for Ukraine’s postwar security — including a European‑led multinational force that could deploy on Ukrainian soil once the guns fall silent.

Meeting at France’s invitation, officials from Ukraine, the United States and a loose grouping of mostly European allies known as the “Coalition of the Willing” adopted a joint declaration titled “Robust Security Guarantees for a Solid and Lasting Peace in Ukraine.” The statement, published by the Council of the European Union, outlines a system of politically and legally binding guarantees that would take effect only after a ceasefire in the war with Russia.

For the first time, the United States backed the concept of binding security guarantees for Ukraine, while France and Britain signed a separate declaration of intent with Kyiv that explicitly paves the way for their troops to take part in a “Multinational Force for Ukraine” on Ukrainian territory.

“This is a signal of how seriously Europe and the entire coalition of the willing are ready to work for real security,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the talks, thanking Washington for its readiness “to be a backstop in all areas.”

A post-ceasefire answer to Ukraine’s core question

The Paris declaration is designed to answer a question Ukraine has pressed since Russia’s full‑scale invasion in 2022: what, concretely, will prevent Moscow from attacking again if Kyiv accepts a ceasefire that falls short of restoring full territorial control?

Under the new framework, once a ceasefire is in place, coalition members say they are “ready to commit to a system of politically and legally binding guarantees,” in addition to bilateral security agreements, “in accordance with our respective legal and constitutional arrangements.” The guarantees are tied to any future peace agreement and to principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The five pillars of the Paris framework

1) U.S.-led monitoring and verification

The United States would lead a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism billed as “continuous” and “reliable.” U.S. and European officials have said this is expected to rely on drones, sensors and satellites rather than American boots on the ground.

A new Special Commission including coalition representatives would be created to review alleged violations, assign responsibility and recommend responses.

2) Long-term support for Ukraine’s armed forces

The allies commit to sustained support for Ukraine’s military, described as “the first line of defence and deterrence.” That includes defense packages, financing for weapons purchases, help funding Ukraine’s defense budget, access to depots able to provide rapid resupplies and technical assistance for building defensive fortifications.

3) A European-led “Multinational Force for Ukraine”

The most politically sensitive element is the creation of a Multinational Force for Ukraine (MFU). The declaration says the MFU would be “made up from contributions from willing nations within the framework of the Coalition, to support the rebuilding of Ukraine’s armed forces and support deterrence.”

The force is to be led by Europeans, with “the involvement also of non‑European members of the Coalition, and the proposed support of the U.S.” Officials say planning has already begun for reassurance measures in the air, at sea and on land, and for regenerating Ukraine’s forces after years of high‑intensity war.

Reassurance missions would be launched only at Ukraine’s request and only “once a credible cessation of hostilities is in place,” the statement says. Western officials have stressed that the MFU is not intended to fight Russian troops on the front line, but to help deter further aggression, protect key infrastructure and supply routes, and stabilize areas no longer under fire.

To give that force shape, France, the United Kingdom and Ukraine signed a trilateral declaration of intent at the summit. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office described it as “a declaration of intent to deploy forces to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal,” saying the MFU would act “as a reassurance force to bolster security guarantees and Ukraine’s ability to return to peace and stability by supporting the regeneration of Ukraine’s own forces.”

The declaration “paves the way for the legal framework” under which British and French troops could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing its “skies and seas and regenerating Ukraine’s armed forces for the future,” Starmer said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has championed the coalition concept since 2025, said the deployment could involve thousands of French troops. He cast the Paris declaration as proof that Europe can take the lead in its own neighborhood, with U.S. support.

“The day a peace accord is signed, we must be ready to offer Ukraine the guarantees that will prevent a new aggression,” Macron told reporters, calling the framework the product of “long work” among allies.

4) National pledges for a future Russian attack

Coalition members also pledged to finalize binding commitments spelling out how they would respond if Russia launched a future armed attack on Ukraine after a ceasefire. Those pledges, negotiated separately by each state, “may include” use of military capabilities, intelligence and logistical support, diplomatic initiatives and additional sanctions.

While the language stops short of the automatic mutual defense obligation in NATO’s Article 5, European officials and analysts have described it as a tailored mutual‑assistance pledge — a kind of “NATO minus” designed for a country that remains outside the alliance.

5) Deepened defense cooperation and a Paris coordination cell

The declaration promises to deepen long‑term defense cooperation with Ukraine, including training, defense industrial projects and intelligence sharing.

A joint coordination cell bringing together U.S., Ukrainian and coalition officers will be established at the coalition’s operational headquarters in Paris to oversee planning, monitoring and assistance.

Who’s in — and who’s cautious

The “Coalition of the Willing” now counts roughly 35 countries, according to European and Ukrainian officials. Many are European Union and NATO members; others are close partners. Notable holdouts include Hungary and Slovakia, which have objected to some forms of military support to Kyiv, as well as neutral states such as Austria, Malta and Switzerland.

Some large European economies are also cautious. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Paris that Germany could contribute to ceasefire monitoring but suggested any German contingent would be based in a neighboring state, not inside Ukraine.

“Compromises will be necessary. We will not be able to find textbook diplomatic solutions to every problem,” he said.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other leaders have signaled readiness to finance and train Ukrainian forces but have not publicly committed troops for the MFU.

U.S. shift — with caveats

The United States, which had previously focused on arms deliveries and sanctions rather than long‑term guarantees, shifted its position at the summit, but with caveats. Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine talks, said Trump “strongly stands behind security protocols” for Ukraine, calling them “as strong as anyone has ever seen.”

Senior U.S. officials, however, acknowledged that Washington did not formally endorse every line of the coalition’s written statement. Language describing U.S. support for a multinational force on Ukrainian territory was softened in the final version, and U.S. officials have emphasized that they are not planning to deploy American combat troops in Ukraine under the current concept.

Trump adviser Jared Kushner said Ukrainians “need to know that after a deal they are secure,” with “robust deterrence” and “real backstops” to ensure the war is not repeated.

Peace talks advancing, but key disputes remain

The guarantees are being negotiated against the backdrop of accelerated but still fragile peace talks. Diplomats from Ukraine, Russia, the United States and European states say that roughly 90% of a draft peace plan has been agreed, including broad principles on ceasefire lines, prisoner exchanges and humanitarian access.

Outstanding issues include the precise status of territory in eastern Ukraine, arrangements around the Russian‑occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the sequencing of sanctions relief and reconstruction funding.

Russia was not invited to the Paris meeting and has not accepted the proposed security architecture. The Kremlin has repeatedly denounced any Western troop presence in Ukraine — including under the label of peacekeepers or monitors — as a threat to its security.

President Vladimir Putin has said Russia will pursue the stated goals of its “special military operation” — which include what Moscow calls the demilitarization and neutral status of Ukraine — “either by agreement or force.” Russian officials have portrayed the coalition guarantees as evidence of what they describe as NATO’s attempt to encircle Russia.

Ukraine’s Budapest Memorandum warning

For Kyiv, the Paris package is meant to avoid a repeat of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Ukraine gave up the nuclear weapons it inherited from the Soviet Union in exchange for assurances from the United States, Britain and Russia to respect its independence and borders. Those assurances were political in nature and lacked enforcement mechanisms or military backing; many Ukrainians now see them as hollow.

Zelenskyy has said repeatedly that his government will not accept any settlement that leaves Ukraine exposed to another invasion. After the summit, he said there are now “substantive documents” in place — the joint coalition declaration and the trilateral text with France and the UK — and that countries in the coalition have begun dividing responsibilities for land, air, sea and reconstruction roles under the new framework.

Hurdles ahead

The guarantees still face significant hurdles. Many European governments will need parliamentary approval for binding commitments and troop deployments. In Washington, Congress has not yet weighed in on the framework, and the durability of any guarantees beyond the Trump administration is uncertain.

If implemented as envisioned, the system would make Ukraine a long‑term host to foreign troops, bases and training missions, changing the country’s security landscape and Europe’s. Supporters argue that such a visible, multinational presence is the surest way to convince Moscow that another attack would trigger a rapid, coordinated response. Critics warn that Western soldiers stationed in Ukraine could themselves become flashpoints if a ceasefire breaks down.

Standing alongside Macron and Starmer in Paris, Zelenskyy argued that peace without enforceable guarantees is no longer acceptable.

“The experience of our people does not allow us to rely on promises alone,” he said. “There must be mechanisms, there must be forces, there must be obligations that make a new war impossible — or as difficult and costly as possible for anyone who would start it.”