Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 26 countries have agreed to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine, providing protection across land, air, sea, and cyberspace, along with military funding. He did not specify the countries involved.

Speaking in his evening address, Zelenskyy outlined what the guarantees actually mean: “substantive things on land, in the sky, at sea, also in cyberspace, also this is funding for our army.”

The Ukrainian president emphasized that the foundation remains “a sufficiently strong Ukrainian army to guarantee our independence and Ukraine’s sovereignty.” He emphasized that this includes weapons for the army and long-term financing, noting that many components have been agreed upon with partners as a foundation.

Zelenskyy highlighted ongoing work to expand the PURL program, through which Ukraine purchases American weapons. More than $2 billion has already flowed through this channel, with plans to increase funding further. The priority list includes greater sky protection against Russian drones and missiles—reflecting Ukraine’s daily reality of aerial bombardment.

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US won’t send troops to Ukraine

Regarding US participation, Trump has ruled out American ground troops but offered alternative support. “We’re willing to help them with things, especially — probably you could talk about by air, because there’s nobody that has the kind of stuff we have,” Trump told Fox News.

The US role would focus on logistics, air support, intelligence sharing, border surveillance, and weapons provision through European partners.

Peacekeepers won’t be in combat zones

The European plan involves a two-stage approach. Initially, European troops would be stationed away from combat zones, focusing on training Ukrainian forces and providing reinforcements. The second stage would incorporate American intelligence sharing, border surveillance, weapons, and potentially air defense systems.

Russia considers peacekeepers legitimate targets

Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded with direct threats to the peacekeeping proposals. Putin declared that if any troops appear in Ukraine, “we proceed from the assumption that they will be legitimate targets for strikes.” This statement indicates that any potential mission would require significant protection from Russian attacks.

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Russia warns peacekeepers in Ukraine would trigger direct confrontation with Moscow

According to Zelenskyy, the Coalition shares the assessment that Russia is “doing everything possible to drag out the negotiation process and continue the war.”

European officials privately express skepticism about whether security guarantees will deter Putin or produce lasting peace. Many expect the peace talks to fail—exposing whether Russia genuinely wants to end the war or simply buy time to regroup.

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If Western forces appear on Ukrainian territory, they would become legitimate targets for Russia, declared Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, according to UNIAN.

Putin threatens the West

“If any troops appear in Ukraine, especially now during ongoing hostilities, we proceed from the assumption that they will be legitimate targets for strikes,” said the Russian president.

This means the potential mission should be significantly protected from Russian strikes. 

Coalition of the willing and European guarantees

On 4 September, a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” took place in Paris. It was agreed that out of 21 countries willing to work on security guarantees for Ukraine, ten would agree to send their soldiers to Ukrainian territory after the fighting ends.

Countries prepared to take this step include the United Kingdom, France, the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, the Netherlands, and Australia. Preliminary estimates suggest that the European mission in Ukraine could number 25–30 thousand troops. These security guarantees are meant to take effect once peace is established in Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. 

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the leader of the US, traditionally considered the major protector of the Western world, has stated that he does not plan to send troops to Ukraine, has not imposed the promised sanctions on Moscow, and is not providing Ukraine with new aid packages. As a result, the situation in Ukraine is at a deadlock.

A deadlock for Ukraine

According to Putin, security guarantees should apply not only to Ukraine but also to Russia.

At the same time, the dictator claimed that Russia “will fully comply with peace agreements regarding Ukraine once they are reached.”

According to Putin, no one has yet discussed such agreements with Russia “at a serious level.”

Putin also stated that he is allegedly willing to engage with Ukraine, but sees “little point” in such talks, claiming it is impossible to reach an agreement.

Earlier, he suggested meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow, despite seven countries offering their cities for such a meeting and the risks it would pose for Zelenskyy.

Zelensky urges the West to implement guarantees without waiting for peace

Amid discussions over security guarantees, the question arises: What is preventing the West from implementing security guarantees now?

According to Rai, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that security guarantees for Ukraine must take effect immediately without waiting for a cessation of hostilities.

“It is important that the security guarantees promised by the countries forming the ‘coalition of the determined’ begin to operate immediately, without waiting for the end of the fighting,” the Ukrainian president said.

Zelenskyy added that this refers not only to military support for Ukraine but also to economic guarantees. According to him, 26 countries have expressed readiness to support Ukraine’s security, and this is “an important step forward.”

Leaders from more than 30 countries gathered on Thursday in a hybrid session of the Coalition of the Willing to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

Twenty-six countries pledged support for a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire in Ukraine. They also committed to bolstering Ukraine’s long-term security, strengthening its military, and coordinating international efforts to deter further Russian aggression. 

“We have today 26 countries who have formally committed […] to deploy as a ‘reassurance force’ troops in Ukraine, or be present on the ground, in the sea, or in the air,” French president Emmanuel Macron told reporters after the summit.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said following the meeting that “a strong Ukrainian army is and will remain the central element of security guarantees.” 

Representatives from Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand took part in the session. 

The talks covered support across land, sea, air, and cyberspace, as well as the mechanisms needed to coordinate these contributions effectively. 

Zelenskyy highlighted the role of financial assistance, weapons supplies, and domestic production as essential components of Ukraine’s defense. 

He confirmed that new sanctions are being planned, including secondary measures and special trade tariffs, to further pressure Russia and its economy.

Zelenskyy said that the Coalition shares the view that Russia is “doing everything possible to drag out the negotiation process and continue the war.”

The Coalition of the Willing, formed in 2023, brings together countries committed to providing Ukraine with security and defense support beyond standard NATO and EU frameworks. 

The group coordinates financial aid, military equipment, training, and strategic planning to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and capacity to respond to Russian aggression.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that members of the “Coalition of the Willing” have pledged to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, as part of efforts to strengthen Kyiv’s defense capabilities.

The delivery of long-range missiles will enable strikes on military targets deeper inside Russian and Russian-held territory supporting both defensive and counteroffensive operations.

Ukraine has long requested additional long-range weaponry, but Western partners have been cautious due to concerns about escalating the conflict. Such weapons allow Ukraine to effectively disrupt supply lines that sustain Moscow’s war effort far from the front lines.

Speaking to a virtual session of the Coalition of the Willing from Glasgow, the Prime Minister said that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted, citing ongoing attacks on Ukraine and delays in peace talks.

The Prime Minister also thanked military planners and chiefs of defense of Coalition countries for their work to ensure forces could be deployed if a ceasefire is reached. 

He described the coalition’s support for Ukraine as “unbreakable” and that they had US President Trump’s backing. 

He added that they now need “to go even further to apply pressure on Putin to secure a cessation of hostilities.”

As European leaders prepare for a summit on 4 September in Paris, their approaches to security guarantees for postwar Ukraine remain divided into three distinct groups, the Financial Times reports. While a small group of countries, including the UK, are ready to deploy troops, Italy has ruled out participation entirely, and a larger group—among them Germany—have yet to make any firm commitments.

Europe split into three camps on postwar Ukraine

The planned multinational force for Ukraine is at the center of ongoing negotiations over long-term security guarantees. The initiative is being pushed by France and the UK, with the US offering limited but targeted support. According to FT, European capitals are under increasing pressure to clarify what each country is willing to contribute.

French President Emmanuel Macron will host the summit, with some leaders joining in person and others remotely. The talks follow a preparatory meeting on 3 September involving defense officials. UK Defense Secretary John Healey co-chaired the call, where he stated that Britain was “reviewing readiness levels of UK Armed Forces and accelerating funding to be ready for any deployment to Ukraine,” according to the UK Ministry of Defense.

An official from the Élysée Palace told FT that technical preparations for the coalition’s contribution had been completed by those countries “willing and able” to offer security guarantees. “Today we have enough contributions to be able to tell the Americans that we are ready to assume our responsibilities, provided that they assume theirs,” the official said.

US President Donald Trump has told European leaders that Washington would offer intelligence, command and control systems, and help in establishing an air defense shield, but insisted that the European side must lead the effort.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on 3 September that he expected “concrete proposals” to be delivered either that day or soon after. He added that further steps would include intensified coordination with the US regarding its participation in the broader effort.

Germany’s position remains unclear. Officials in Berlin reportedly reacted negatively to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s comments to FT that member states were working on “pretty precise plans” for potential deployments to Ukraine, including a “clear road map.”

President Trump doesn’t think Putin and Zelenskyy will sit down together anytime soon. The two leaders aren’t ready, he told the Daily Caller in a 29 August interview.

When asked whether trilateral negotiations involving himself, Zelensky, and Putin would proceed, Trump indicated that timing remains uncertain.

“Sometimes people are not ready for this,” the president stated, according to the Daily Caller report.

Trump employed his previous analogy comparing the two leaders to children in conflict, describing them as figures who “hate each other” on a playground, swinging and fighting until exhaustion forces them to stop.

“Sometimes they have to fight a little before you can make them stop. But this has been going on for a long time. A lot of people are dead,” Trump said.

This marks a shift from Trump’s earlier confidence. After meeting Putin in Alaska on 15 August, he “really thought” the war could end quickly. Not anymore. Ukraine and Russia may need to “fight a little more” first.

Earlier, Trump rated his three-hour meeting with Putin in Alaska a perfect 10 out of 10, despite no deal being reached to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. He emphasized that the meeting went well personally, saying, “We got along great,” but acknowledged that not all issues were settled and there was no agreement on reaching peace anytime soon. 

No American troops for Ukraine as security guarantee

The president also ruled out American boots on Ukrainian soil as part of any peace deal. But he outlined a different kind of commitment—possible air support to help end the fighting.

He noted that European forces would handle most operations, with American assistance. 

European officials are actively working on plans to deploy British and French troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees following any ceasefire, known as the “Coalition of the willing,” with about ten countries ready to participate.

The European plan involves two stages: initially, European troops would be stationed away from frontlines to train Ukrainian forces and provide reinforcements, acting as military advisors rather than a symbolic presence.

Next, the US would contribute intelligence sharing, border monitoring, additional weapons, and possibly air defense systems, continuing to supply military aid through European partners even without direct American troop deployment.

Zelenskyy previously rejected Trump’s playground metaphor with sharp words:

Putin is “a killer who came to this park to kill children.”

China has firmly rejected media reports suggesting the country expressed readiness to join international peacekeeping forces for Ukraine in case of a ceasefire, calling such claims inaccurate.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun, quoted by local media, “these reports do not correspond to reality. China’s position on the Ukrainian crisis is consistent and clear.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has inserted Moscow’s position into the debate, stating that any agreement without Russian and possibly Chinese participation in discussions about Western-sought security guarantees would be impossible.

“The West understands very well that serious discussion about security guarantees without the Russian Federation is utopia,” Lavrov said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected both Lavrov’s demands for Chinese participation and the broader concept of involving Beijing.

“We need security guarantees only from those countries that are ready to help us,” Zelenskyy stated, pointing to China’s continued support for Russia. 

“Coalition of the willing” discusses sending peacekeepers to Ukraine

The peacekeeping discussion has gained renewed attention following diplomatic developments between the United States and Russia. US President’s Special Representative Steve Witkoff indicated that during an Alaska meeting on 15 August, Putin and Trump reached agreement on “reliable security guarantees” for Ukraine, including protections comparable to NATO’s Article 5.

Subsequently, what officials termed a “coalition of the willing,” mainly involving European countries such as France and Britain, expressed readiness to contribute to Ukraine’s security guarantees by deploying military personnel on Ukrainian territory.

However, the extent of American support remains unclear. Trump emphasized that the US would not deploy its own military forces while not ruling out logistical support such as “air transportation” for allied forces.

What security guarantees Ukraine needs

The broader Western security framework being discussed extends beyond military assistance to include:

• training Ukrainian forces
• weapons deliveries
• defense industry development assistance
• intelligence sharing
• sanctions
• economic cooperation
• Ukraine’s gradual EU accession.

Senior EU diplomats indicated that ceasefire monitoring could rely primarily on drone technology rather than traditional frontline deployment, with response protocols for violations still requiring definition in any mandate.

Zelenskyy indicated after White House meetings on 18 August that security guarantees should include American weapons systems that Ukraine cannot produce domestically, specifically mentioning aircraft and air defense systems.