French president: 26 nations pledge security guarantees for Ukraine after ceasefire

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries have pledged to support Ukraine with security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire, marking a significant step toward post-war stabilization and deterrence against future Russian aggression.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Paris alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Macron stated that US President Donald Trump had not yet committed to a definitive American backstop, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“US support for security guarantees aimed at protecting the war-battered nation against Russian attack will be defined in coming days,” Macron told reporters.

The announcement followed a high-level gathering of the Coalition of the Willing, hosted by France, bringing together European leaders willing to provide long-term commitments to Ukraine’s security—including the possibility of troop deployments after a ceasefire is reached.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office reaffirmed Britain's unwavering support:

“The British prime minister emphasized that the group had an unbreakable pledge to Ukraine, with President Trump’s backing, and it was clear they now needed to go even further to apply pressure on (Russian president Vladimir) Putin to secure a cessation of hostilities.”

In a coordinated move, the coalition also decided to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, described by Starmer’s office as an effort “to further bolster the country’s supplies.”

Macron noted that “preparatory work on the security guarantees had been done and should now be approved at political level,” though he declined to provide further specifics on the terms or mechanisms.

Zelenskyy highlighted a recent shift in US policy, stating that the Biden administration had signaled openness to security guarantees resembling NATO’s Article 5 mutual defence clause. Ukraine is particularly focused on securing continued US intelligence sharing and air support.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, attending the summit virtually, underscored the broader geopolitical stakes:

“We have to make sure that our deterrence is such that they will never try, knowing that our reaction will be devastating,” he said, referencing warnings from European intelligence officials about potential future Russian strikes across the continent.

By Vafa Guliyeva