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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Vance says Russia must have a voice in security guarantees talks for Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a blunt assessment this week: Vladimir Putin sees no benefit in ending his war against Ukraine.

Speaking during :newstime interview, Merz argued the Russian president will only negotiate when it serves his personal agenda.

“He will only be ready for negotiations when it benefits him personally,” Merz explained. Putin continues the war because “he is conquering territories” and closely watches how world leaders respond to his actions, including discussions in Europe and America.

To change Russia’s position, Merz proposed creating conditions that would compel Moscow to seek an exit from the war through economic pressure rather than military means.

“We must create the grounds for this,” he said, proposing tariffs against countries that continue trading actively with Russia. The goal: make it impossible for Moscow to sustain its military production.

Merz also emphasized that Germany has no plans to deploy soldiers to Ukraine, expressing serious doubts about Bundeswehr participation even after a possible ceasefire.

“Until a ceasefire, sending troops to Ukraine definitely won’t happen. And even after that, I have significant doubts about Germany’s participation.”

Meanwhile, Britain and France lead the “Coalition of the Willing” initiative, which plans peacekeeping forces for post-conflict Ukraine with operational headquarters in Paris and coordination centers in Kyiv.

Merz outlined Germany’s constraints clearly. Any troop deployment would need Bundestag approval and Russian agreement.

“This cannot be done against Russia, only together with it,” he told Sat.1.

Russian demands for ending the war in Ukraine include:

• Ukrainian military withdrawal from four occupied regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
• written guarantees from Western leaders to halt “NATO’s eastward expansion”, effectively excluding Ukraine, Georgia, and other former Soviet states from membership
• Ukraine adopting a neutral status and limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces
• lifting of Western sanctions
• resolution of frozen Russian assets abroad
• protections for Russian speakers in Ukraine
• holding of Ukrainian elections under terms favorable to Moscow. 

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.