U.S. Joins Coalition of the Willing — Zelenskyy Sees Positive Signal from Trump

For the first time, U.S. representatives participated in a high-level meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a multinational initiative preparing to support Ukraine’s long-term security following a potential ceasefire with Russia, The Gaze reports.

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy General Keith Kellogg, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Senator Richard Blumenthal joined world leaders—including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—during a virtual summit held alongside the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the U.S. involvement in the meeting, saying:

“Today there was such a moment—you mentioned the American side—I believe that the presence of both General Kellogg and the U.S. senators (Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal) is a signal from President Trump, a positive signal.”

At the meeting, leaders finalized key elements of the command structure for a future reassurance force. A permanent multinational operational headquarters will be established in Paris, co-led by the UK and France, and will rotate to London after 12 months. A forward coordination cell in Kyiv, led by a British two-star officer, is also planned.

This future “Multinational Force Ukraine” will deploy in the immediate aftermath of a ceasefire and will:

• Rebuild Ukraine’s land forces through logistics, weapons support, and training.
• Secure Ukrainian airspace with Coalition aircraft to restore safe skies and allow the return of civilian air travel.
• Enhance Black Sea maritime security, expanding the current task force involving Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria to accelerate demining and ensure safe shipping routes.

The military plan follows months of strategic coordination, including a recent meeting of over 200 planners from 30 countries in Paris. The initiative complements NATO’s €40 billion military pledge to Ukraine for 2025, announced at last month’s summit.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer underscored the urgency of action, stating: “Supporting Ukraine is not just the right thing to do—it’s essential for our security. The more we counter Russia’s aggression, the safer we keep the British people, our allies, and the Euro-Atlantic area.”

As The Gaze previously reported, despite warm diplomatic gestures and a symbolic state visit, tensions between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are putting strain on the so-called “coalition of the willing” — the group of Western nations coordinating military and diplomatic support for Ukraine.