Franco-British 'Coalition of the Willing' Gathers to Boost Ukraine Support

Leaders from approximately 30 countries, aiming to bolster Ukraine's security with military support, are set to meet next week to fine-tune their countries' contributions. France's President announced this initiative on Friday, highlighting continued efforts by the 'coalition of the willing', initially formed by France and Britain.

However, progress has been hampered as European nations sought U.S. security guarantees, which were not assured during the Trump administration. Recent developments suggest potential U.S. involvement, provided Europe intensifies its military planning efforts.

French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reported that significant work has been accomplished by military Chiefs of Staff. The coalition, primarily composed of EU countries along with Turkey, Canada, and Australia, aims to support training, financing, and equipping Ukraine's military, and establish a 'reassurance force'.

(With inputs from agencies.)