Members of Ukraine’s “coalition of the willing” called for continued transatlantic solidarity as the United States ramps up pressure for an early deal and European countries seek to exert more influence in peace talks with Russia.
“As we work to ensure that our security includes the important elements of a European deterrence force and is reliable, it is important that the United States cooperates with us and supports these efforts,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after a virtual meeting attended by 34 mostly European countries.
President Zelenskiy also said he had “constructive and thorough discussions” on security topics with the U.S. team, consisting of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Generals Keene and Grynkewicz, and Josh Gruenbaum of the Federal Services Administration.
“Security assurance is one of the most important elements for all subsequent steps,” he wrote of X, adding, “We have agreed to actively work to ensure that the team has a clear understanding of security assurance in the near future. Thank you to everyone who has contributed!”
Other European leaders at the meeting also expressed their support for Ukraine and stressed the need for transatlantic unity and continued pressure on Russia.
US President Donald Trump has made clear that he expects European allies to shoulder most of the burden when it comes to security, and 26 countries have already pledged to do so. Provide equipment and support after ceasefire. France and the United Kingdom, which co-chair the coalition, are also among the countries prepared to join the so-called reassurance force.
But much of the plan relies on a U.S. backstop, primarily in the form of air defense and intelligence sharing.
“Next week will be the decisive week.”
One of the cards that European countries are keeping close to their chest to exert influence that has been largely excluded from negotiations is the issue of the 210 billion euros in Russian state assets that they have locked up within their jurisdiction and plan to use to finance Ukraine’s financial needs over the next two years.
On Thursday, the European Union Agreed to lock in assets indefinitely Intense negotiations are still ongoing with the aim of next week’s summit meeting, which will determine the outcome of the negotiations, regarding the issue of the Russian Central Bank’s loan, which is central to reparation loans to Ukraine.
In doing so, the EU would lock up assets under its jurisdiction amid concerns that the United States would seek control of the frozen assets and use them in a future settlement with Russia, which is negotiating an end to the war.
This is part of an effort by Belgium, which owns most of the assets, to defy the creation of loans due to fears of retaliation from Russia and unequal burden sharing.
“We updated leaders on our efforts to secure funding for Ukraine in 2026-2027,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after attending a coalition meeting.
“Our proposal is on the table and the sense of urgency is clear for all to see. Next week will be decisive,” she added of X.
Europe-Ukraine-US meeting could be held this weekend
Thursday’s meeting came a day after France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz and Keir Starmer spoke by phone with President Trump about the latest developments in peace talks, following a meeting with President Zelensky in London.
“The main question here is what territory and concessions Ukraine is prepared to make. That is primarily a question for the president of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people to answer. We have made that clear to President Trump as well,” Merz told reporters on Thursday.
“And if this process goes as we envision it now, we will have discussions with the U.S. government over the weekend. And whether or not the U.S. government participates, we may have a meeting here in Berlin early next week. That also depends in large part on the co-drafting of the document that we are currently working on.”
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Johann Vardepur told a news conference that the original 28-point plan drafted by Washington and Moscow, which included a demand for Ukraine to cede all of Donbas and was seen as largely favorable to Russia, “no longer exists.”
“We had some influence on it,” he said. “We have a new plan. It’s a 20-point plan and it’s really changed. So do we have to engage with the United States more than before? Yes. Is it possible to find common ground? Yes.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who spoke alongside him, agreed.
“When it comes to Ukraine, do you think the United States and Europe can get on the same page? Yes, I’m positive. I think it can be done. Are you confident that Russia will accept? I don’t know,” he said.
“Now let’s put President Putin to the test. Let’s see if he really wants peace or a continuation of the carnage. It is imperative that we all keep up the pressure on Russia and support genuine efforts to end this war.”