Prime Minister Donald Tusk headed to Paris to represent Poland at the meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, Warsaw officials said, and will also take part in France's Bastille Day military parade on July 14.
The Coalition of the Willing gathering will take place at the Hotel des Invalides and conclude with a dinner at the Elysee Palace.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the newspaper Ouest-France that the meeting has three goals: supporting Ukraine, particularly on air defense amid Russian bombardment; increasing pressure on Russia, including through a 21st package of EU sanctions now being planned; and "preparing for peace and defining the security guarantees that will be needed to prevent any new aggression."
Leaders are expected to discuss cooperation on air and missile defense, including anti-ballistic systems, as well as licensed weapons production inside Ukraine.
French officials said the meeting would also be an occasion for further announcements on mobilizing France's defense industry to support Ukraine, and for planning joint military exercises in the coming months—drills that, according to the Elysee Palace, would take place outside Ukraine.
French officials described the talks as coming at "a moment of transatlantic convergence and unity," with battlefield conditions currently favorable to Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to attend the summit, arriving in Paris days after announcing plans for a government reshuffle, including the removal of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
The Coalition of the Willing first convened in January 2025 and now includes about 35 countries, mostly European. Moldova and North Macedonia are set to join on Monday.
On July 14, foreign leaders will join France's Bastille Day celebrations, with about 500 troops from coalition member states taking part in the traditional military parade in Paris.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP