New Diplomatic Coordination: Macron and Starmer Forge ‘Coalition of the Willing’ for United Support of Ukraine
Amid escalating international tensions and increased military aid to Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have taken the initiative to organize a new phase of diplomatic consultations. This upcoming video conference aims to formalize a 'coalition of the willing' — a group of leading Western leaders committed to aligning their efforts to increase pressure on Moscow to ensure regional stability and security. According to the Élysée Palace, the primary objective of these negotiations is to coordinate actions supporting Ukraine and enhancing its defensive capabilities, especially regarding the deployment of additional deterrence forces. The discussions will focus on ways to deepen collaboration among participating nations and intensify diplomatic and military pressure on Russia to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, which Moscow has repeatedly refused to accept. It is expected that during the meeting, key figures including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will join the conversation. The summit will also explore plans to deploy 'deterrence forces' within Ukraine after a ceasefire is reached, alongside strategies to increase diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin. Notably, Macron recently made a significant diplomatic move by speaking with Vladimir Putin for the first time in three years, urging the Russian leader to cease hostilities. However, Moscow continues to justify its war against Ukraine as a response to what Putin describes as 'the Western policy that has ignored Russia’s security interests for decades.'