The United States on Tuesday (January 6) for the first time backed a broad coalition of Ukraine’s allies pledging legally binding security guarantees to protect Kyiv from future Russian aggression once a peace deal is reached.
Speaking after a summit of the “coalition of the willing” in Paris, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said President Donald Trump strongly supports the proposed security guarantees.
“President Trump strongly stands behind security protocols,” Witkoff said. “Those security protocols are meant to deter any attacks, any further attacks in Ukraine, and if there are any attacks, they’re meant to defend.”
Witkoff said the guarantees would reassure Ukrainians that the war would not resume after a ceasefire.
“We think we’re largely finished with security protocols… so that the people of Ukraine know that when this ends, it ends forever,” he said, adding that the US is also close to finalizing “as robust a prosperity agreement as any country has ever seen coming out of conflicts like this.”
Trump team calls summit a milestone
Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, described the Paris meeting as a major step forward.
“I think today was a very, very big milestone,” Kushner said. “This does not mean that we will make peace, but peace would not be possible without the progress that was made here today.”
He stressed that any final settlement must guarantee Ukraine’s security.
“If Ukraine is going to make a final deal, they have to know that after a deal they are secure, they have a robust deterrence, and there are real backstops to make sure that this will not happen again,” he said.
Zelensky says security documents ready
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said talks in Paris had produced concrete outcomes on how security guarantees would be implemented.
“It has been determined which countries are ready to take the lead in ensuring security on land, in the air, at sea, and in reconstruction,” Zelensky said. “It has been determined what kind of forces are necessary, how the forces will be managed, and at what levels of command.”
Zelensky said Ukraine had held “very substantive discussions” with the US on monitoring any ceasefire.
“America is ready to work on this,” he said. “We believe that documents on security guarantees are ready — bilateral, Ukraine-US, as well as trilateral documents. We expect that they may be signed in the near future.”
UK and France outline military role
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the declaration agreed in Paris would lay the legal groundwork for allied forces to operate in Ukraine after a ceasefire.
“The signing of the declaration paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil,” Starmer said, including securing Ukraine’s skies and seas and rebuilding its armed forces.
He added that the UK and France would establish military hubs across Ukraine.
“Following the ceasefire, the UK and France will establish military hubs across Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons and military equipment to support Ukraine’s defensive needs,” Starmer said.
Legally binding guarantees take shape
A joint statement from coalition leaders said allies would now move to finalize binding commitments to assist Ukraine if it is attacked again.
“These commitments may include the use of military capabilities, intelligence and logistical support, diplomatic initiatives, and the adoption of additional sanctions,” the statement said.
The coalition also pledged to participate in a proposed US-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the focus had shifted decisively from temporary military aid to long-term guarantees.
“We all want peace to be fair, lasting and clear-eyed,” Macron said. “We want this peace to have its guarantees.”
Europe and US show renewed unity
European leaders including Macron, Starmer, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the summit demonstrated renewed unity between Europe and the United States on Ukraine.
The statement also outlined plans for a European-led “Multinational Force for Ukraine” to help rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces and support long-term deterrence, with proposed backing from the US.
Russia yet to respond
Talks to end the nearly four-year war have accelerated in recent months, but Moscow has not publicly indicated it would accept such security arrangements. Russia has insisted any peace deal must bar Ukraine from joining military alliances.
Ukraine has long argued that only NATO-style security guarantees can prevent Russia from attacking again — a demand now increasingly reflected in the coalition’s plans.
