Ukraine to host ‘coalition of the willing’ talks, says Zelensky
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for the coalition.
Leaders of the so-called “coalition of the willing” are set to travel to Ukraine for further talks, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president said in a video address to the Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Oslo on Friday that he would host leaders of the coalition the following day.
He said there was “serious work ahead”, adding: “We need this coalition and we need it to be strong enough to guarantee security the way we all agree on.”
The coalition has been spearheaded by Britain and France, but Downing Street would not confirm whether Sir Keir Starmer planned to attend Saturday’s meeting.
Sir Keir was present at the Oslo summit when Mr Zelensky made the announcement, and later told broadcasters the “absolute focus” of leaders was on supporting Ukraine.
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for the coalition which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
Last month, Defence Secretary John Healey said the plans were “real and substantial” as he hosted a meeting of his counterparts in Brussels.
But prospects for a truce remain distant as Moscow continues to resist calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire backed by the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a 72-hour ceasefire on Thursday to coincide with celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany.
But his forces have continued offensive operations along the front line as well as air strikes on residential areas, according to Ukrainian officials.
Moscow has also accused Kyiv of breaching the unilateral ceasefire and claimed Russian troops would “mirror” Ukraine’s actions.
Meanwhile, Mr Putin welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping to Moscow for the annual victory parade on Thursday, saying the “brotherhood of arms between our peoples” was “one of the fundamental foundations of modern Russian-Chinese relations”.
China has provided diplomatic support for Russia since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and has become both a major market for Russian oil and gas and the main supplier of the machinery and electronics required to maintain the Kremlin’s war effort.
