Who is in Starmer’s Coalition of the Willing? European leaders meet to discuss Ukraine-Russia war
Sir Keir Starmer has met with world leaders in Paris for the third meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing”, a group convened by the prime minister and French President Emmanuel Macron to bolster support for Ukraine against Russia.
Some 30 leaders have gathered to discuss Ukraine’s ongoing security after the US brokered a ceasefire agreement between Moscow and Kyiv over the Black Sea earlier this week, which the Kremlin says cannot commence unless certain conditions are met.
The Elysee Palace summit follows several meetings led by the prime minister involving more than 200 military planners from across the globe to hash out details of a potential peacekeeping force that could help monitor and enforce any potential ceasefire agreement reached between Moscow and Kyiv.
Ahead of the summit this morning, Sir Keir met with Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte and the pair agreed Europe “must do everything possible” to back Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
Russia did not accept an earlier 30-day ceasefire agreement reached in Ukraine and US negotiations, and said the Black Sea truce could only begin once some sanctions were lifted. The Kremlin has said any broader work towards peace would take time.
The coalition was announced by Sir Keir at the start of March, following a summit on Ukraine he hosted in London.
It was formed to help bolster Ukraine’s defences against Russia, including through increasing military aid.
Just days after that first meeting, the US temporarily suspended intelligence sharing with Kyiv, pushing European leaders to hold crisis talks on what further support they could provide to Ukraine.
A central part of the point of the coalition of the willing is to create a peacekeeping force, Sir Keir has previously said, which would help enforce any ceasefire on the ground in Ukraine.
A peacekeeping force would help “guarantee Ukraine’s future security”, he said last week, addingn that what action the force would take was subject to meetings with military experts from around the world.
The group is led by Sir Keir and Mr Macron alongside Mr Zelensky.
The world leaders include
Besides the country leaders, the group also includes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Antonio Costa, and Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte.
French president Emmanuel Macron said European troops deployed in Ukraine to monitor a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow could respond to a Russian attack if it occured.
