26 countries offer troops or support for Ukraine under security guarantees — Macron

They said this at a briefing following the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.

"Today we have on the table a political and military proposal coming from 35 leaders — to provide Ukraine with security guarantees… 26 countries have formally agreed to send either contingent forces to Ukraine or to contribute certain assets to support this coalition, to ensure security at sea or in the air," Macron said.

According to him, the aim of such actions is to guarantee peace in Ukraine and to prevent the resumption of hostilities.

"We have identified all these contributions, and we held a phone conversation with the U.S. president. In the coming weeks we will clearly determine America’s contribution to this coalition… We have defined primary and secondary commitments to stop the war," the French president emphasized.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about preparing decisions on air defense.

"We are considering one format; yesterday we spoke with Emmanuel about this format for the first time, today we shared it with partners and with President Trump. If we receive a positive signal from the United States, because technically much in the new format of airspace protection depends on them… If we get a positive signal from them, we will be happy to share information," he said.

He also said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will use meetings in China as permission to continue the war.

At the same time, the president commented on the Kremlin leader’s proposal to hold a meeting in Moscow.

"I believe that when you want there not to be a meeting, you should invite me to Moscow. So I think that Russia starting to talk about a meeting is already not bad. But for now we do not see their desire to end the war. And mature leaders should come out of a meeting of this level with some result, preferably — the end of the war," Zelenskyy said.

• On Thursday, September 4, the Coalition of the Willing meeting began in Paris, with President Zelensky and several European leaders arriving at the Élysée Palace. The Ukrainian leader has met with U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff.