European countries are prepared to offer security guarantees to Ukraine once a peace deal is signed between Kyiv and Moscow, French President Emmanuel Macron said after meeting Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris. The two discussed possible models for a post‑conflict Ukraine, and Macron declared, “We Europeans are ready to offer security guarantees to Ukraine and its people on the day a peace deal is signed.” He added that the preparatory work for these guarantees is complete, though he did not disclose the details, and emphasized the need for “a robust, lasting peace for Ukraine and for Europeans.”
The announcement follows months of debate within NATO over potential security arrangements for Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump has also renewed efforts to mediate a deal between Ukraine and Russia. Zelensky expressed confidence that “firm security guarantees” would be agreed upon at the upcoming meeting of Ukraine’s backers, known as the Coalition of the Willing, scheduled for Thursday.
Ukraine has been pressing the West for guarantees that could substitute for NATO’s collective defense, after the United States effectively blocked Kyiv’s bid to join the alliance. Several European nations, including France and the United Kingdom, have said they are ready to deploy peacekeepers, while Germany has stated it has no such plans. Russia, however, has warned it will not tolerate NATO soldiers on Ukrainian soil, even under the guise of peacekeeping, and President Vladimir Putin has listed an end to Western military aid to Kyiv as a condition for a ceasefire.
The development signals a potential breakthrough in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The next steps will depend on the outcome of the Coalition of the Willing meeting and Russia’s response to the proposed security guarantees.
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