Coalition of the Willing to support Ukraine stalls – Bloomberg
Photo: Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron (Getty Images)
A Сoalition of the Willing led by the United Kingdom and France is supposed to help with security in Ukraine after the ceasefire. However, the plan is at risk of stalling due to the US position, according to Bloomberg.
The coalition failed to receive any firm commitments from the White House to provide security guarantees.
The group's defense ministers will meet at NATO on April 10 amid debates between London and Paris over whether the peacekeeping force needs support from the United States. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made it clear that such a force would be viable only with US security guarantees.
European leaders are trying to get a role in the US-led negotiations on a ceasefire in Ukraine. Britain and France have tried to persuade Donald Trump to offer airpower, border surveillance, and intelligence instead of troops, but the US president has refused to make such a commitment since the plan was unveiled two months ago.
British officials insist that this remains an essential component of the coalition - a group of EU, NATO, and non-NATO allies who have agreed to support Ukraine. There must be US support because US security guarantees are “the only way” to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again, Starmer said in February when the plan was first taking shape.
Composition and format of the coalition
Nearly 15 countries have confirmed their willingness to contribute troops to the effort. While NATO is not directly involved at this stage, Canada and Australia are among the countries that have offered troops to work alongside European forces, according to officials.
The French and British army chiefs will brief defense ministers after a trip to Ukraine, partly aimed at assessing the country's needs, and present options for concrete planning. The scope of the intervention force is still being discussed.
The proposed format is the forces would be deployed only after a peace agreement enters into force. A fully equipped Ukrainian army will serve as the main deterrent force. European troops would provide reassurance in critical national infrastructure, major ports, and cities far from the front lines. Strong post-war Ukrainian forces are an integral part of the coalition, Western officials said.
Some members of the Coalition of the Willing insist that a European leader should lead the engagement with Moscow. According to The Telegraph, French President Emmanuel Macron intends to represent Europe in talks with Vladimir Putin.
