Macron says 26 countries commit to Ukraine ceasefire deployment

In a dramatic show of solidarity for war-torn Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that 26 nations — predominantly European — have united under a common pledge, vowing to send troops as part of a future ceasefire framework, a force designed not for battle at the front lines but for assurance, stability, and the fragile promise of peace.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing”, Macron said the countries would contribute to a “reassurance force” capable of deploying in Ukraine or providing support on land, at sea, or in the air.

He noted that after the summit, coalition members held a call with US President Donald Trump, and Washington is expected to finalise its contributions to Ukraine’s security guarantees in the coming days. Trump has recently suggested that US support would “probably” come in the form of air cover. Zelenskyy confirmed he had spoken with Trump about securing “maximum protection for Ukraine’s skies.”

The French leader described the pledges as a “concrete” step forward, while Zelenskyy underlined the importance of direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin — bilateral or trilateral — to push peace efforts.

The announcement came after a virtual summit of 35 countries, co-chaired by Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where members reaffirmed their commitment to providing long-term security guarantees to Kyiv.

With IANS inputs