Zelenskyy and Macron Align Ahead of Coalition Summit on Security Guarantees
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Wednesday to coordinate their positions ahead of a high-level meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing.”
The Gaze reports this, referring to Zelenskyy's post on social media, French and Ukrainian media outlets.
The leaders discussed strengthening defense support, expanding sanctions on Russia, the use of frozen Russian assets, and Ukraine’s path toward EU integration.
At a joint press briefing later in the evening, Zelenskyy underlined that Ukraine is counting on concrete commitments from its allies.
“I very much believe in the Coalition of the Willing, under your leadership and that of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. You have gathered over 30 countries. I am convinced the result will be security guarantees for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president thanked France both for its political leadership and for tangible military aid, particularly air defense systems, which he said “protect Ukrainians from Russian missile strikes every day.”
Zelenskyy also stressed that Kyiv, Europe, and the United States must continue increasing pressure on Moscow.
“Unfortunately, we still do not see signals from Russia that it wants to end the war. But I am confident that our alliance – Europe, which has stood with us since the beginning of the war, and Europe with America – will help us increase pressure on Russia and move toward a diplomatic solution,” he said.
President Macron confirmed that European leaders are ready to enshrine meaningful security commitments to Ukraine. He added that Europeans are ready to move from preparatory work to political commitments.
In an interview with the French publication Le Point, Zelenskyy issued a stark warning against territorial concessions to Moscow, arguing they would only embolden Russia and bring war closer to Europe.
“If Putin had managed to seize our entire country, he would have used it as a springboard. Whether he does it or not depends on how strong Europe is. If Europe is strong, he probably will not. If it is weak, it will suffer from Russia’s actions,” the president explained.
Zelenskyy pointed to the short distance between Moscow and Paris, less than 3,000 kilometers, and highlighted the growing reach of Russian missile technology.
Zelenskyy acknowledged that some analysts have suggested a Korean-style armistice, freezing the conflict along current front lines, but said such an outcome would be deeply flawed for Ukraine.
“South Korea has a strong ally, the United States, and many air defense systems to guarantee its security. Ukraine aspires to similar reliable guarantees, like Patriot systems,” he explained.
Zelenskyy also stressed that the comparison has limits: “North Korea has just over 20 million people, while Russia has more than 140 million. The threats from Russia are five, six, even ten times greater. An identical reproduction of the South Korean model is not suitable for Ukraine from a security standpoint, though its economic model is impressive.”
He concluded by stressing that the outcome of the war in Ukraine will determine the future of Europe’s security order.
Thursday’s coalition summit, convened by Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will bring together more than 30 nations to finalize a framework of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.