BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Ukraine’s closest allies gathered in Paris on Tuesday for high-stakes talks aimed at shaping the country’s security architecture after any future peace agreement with Russia, as diplomatic momentum collided with shifting U.S. priorities and renewed strains in transatlantic relations.
The meeting, billed by French officials as a crucial step toward defining guarantees that could deter renewed Russian aggression, comes amid uncertainty over Washington’s focus and Moscow’s refusal to soften its demands nearly four years into the war. While European leaders have spent months discussing how to underpin a ceasefire or peace deal with credible security measures, Russia has given little indication it is prepared to compromise, insisting that any halt in fighting must be tied to a comprehensive settlement and rejecting the presence of troops from NATO countries on Ukrainian soil.
French President Emmanuel Macron had signaled optimism ahead of the talks, describing them as an opportunity for partners to translate broad intentions into concrete commitments. In a year-end address on Dec. 31, Macron said allies would move beyond general principles to outline practical steps to protect Ukraine and secure what he called a just and lasting peace.
Macron’s office said the Paris gathering drew an unprecedented level of participation, with 35 delegations attending in person, including 27 heads of state and government. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, held preparatory discussions with Macron at the Élysée Palace ahead of the broader meeting, underscoring Washington’s continued involvement despite recent distractions on the global stage.
Those distractions have complicated the diplomatic picture. The Trump administration’s attention has shifted sharply following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, prompting Secretary of State Marco Rubio to cancel plans to lead the American delegation in Paris. At the same time, renewed remarks by Trump about the United States taking control of Greenland have unsettled European leaders and injected fresh tension into relations with Washington.
On Tuesday, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom joined Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in publicly defending Greenland’s sovereignty, pushing back against Trump’s comments about the mineral-rich Arctic territory. The episode has highlighted the delicate balance European governments must strike: asserting their interests and unity while relying on U.S. military power as a cornerstone of any credible security guarantees for Ukraine.
Despite the strains, participants in Paris have been working toward agreement on several core priorities to be activated once fighting ends. These include mechanisms to monitor and enforce a ceasefire, sustained support for Ukraine’s armed forces, the possible deployment of a multinational force across land, sea and air, clear responses to any renewed Russian aggression, and long-term defense cooperation between Ukraine and its partners.
Whether consensus on those points can be reached remains unclear. Kyiv has repeatedly warned that a poorly secured ceasefire could allow Russia time to regroup and launch another offensive. Ukrainian officials have emphasized that firm, explicit commitments from Washington are essential, both for Ukraine’s own security and for persuading other allies to lock in their support.
On the sidelines of the summit, a flurry of bilateral and military-level meetings reflected the intensity of the effort. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Macron ahead of the main talks, while the military chiefs of France, Britain and Ukraine held discussions focused on implementing security guarantees. NATO’s top commander, U.S. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, took part, and army chiefs from other partner nations joined remotely. A joint news conference with Zelenskyy, Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was scheduled later in the day.
U.S. envoy Witkoff has suggested that progress has been made in recent weeks. In a Dec. 31 statement, he described discussions among American officials and national security advisers from Britain, France, Germany and Ukraine as productive, saying they had focused on strengthening security guarantees and developing mechanisms to prevent renewed conflict.
France and the United Kingdom, which have coordinated much of the multinational planning, have offered only broad outlines of what a future arrangement might look like. French officials have said Ukraine’s own military would remain the primary deterrent against renewed Russian aggression, bolstered by expanded training, weapons deliveries and intelligence support from allies. Macron has also raised the possibility of European forces being deployed away from active front lines as an additional deterrent.
Significant questions remain unresolved. Zelenskyy acknowledged over the weekend that not all partners are ready to commit troops and that key details have yet to be finalized. He noted that even where leaders are supportive, domestic political hurdles could slow or limit deployments, as many governments would require parliamentary approval. He stressed, however, that assistance could take many forms, including advanced weaponry, technology and intelligence sharing.
The Ukrainian leader has been particularly clear about the importance of involvement from Britain and France, Western Europe’s only nuclear-armed nations. Without strong commitments from major powers, he warned, the credibility of the entire effort could be undermined.
“Speaking frankly as president, even the very existence of the coalition depends on whether certain countries are ready to step up their presence,” Zelenskyy said. “If they are not ready at all, then it is not really a coalition of the willing.”
As diplomacy unfolded in Paris, fighting continued. Ukraine’s Security Service carried out long-range drone strikes deep inside Russia, according to a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The strikes reportedly hit a military arsenal in the Kostroma region, triggering explosions and forcing evacuations in nearby areas, and set ablaze an oil depot in the Lipetsk region. Ukrainian officials described the targets as key logistical and energy facilities supporting Russia’s war effort.
The contrast between battlefield developments and diplomatic maneuvering underscored the urgency of the Paris talks. For Ukraine and its allies, the challenge remains turning political declarations into binding commitments strong enough to prevent the war from reigniting once the guns fall silent.
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