U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with European leaders in Paris on Thursday to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, as allies sought ways to lock in long-term military support and secure continued American backing after the conflict ends.
Witkoff, whom President Donald Trump named to mediate peace talks, was invited to participate in a so-called “coalition of the willing” meeting aimed at coordinating aid for Ukraine and sketching plans for military support in the event of a ceasefire to deter future Russian aggression, a Ukrainian presidential official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the discussions publicly, said Witkoff also planned to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Paris talks.
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer led the coalition meeting, which brought together European partners to explore mechanisms for sustaining military and political support for Ukraine beyond active combat operations. Officials described the talks as an effort to map out possible components of security guarantees, including force posture, logistics and training arrangements that could be activated if hostilities paused.
The discussions come as Western allies have increasingly sought concrete frameworks to prevent a refreshed Russian offensive following any negotiated pause. European capitals have advocated for collective reassurance measures and contingency plans to ensure that a halt in fighting would not leave Ukraine exposed to renewed aggression.
U.S. involvement in the talks underscores Washington’s central role in shaping post-conflict security architecture for Ukraine. Witkoff’s participation follows his designation by the U.S. president as a mediator in peace efforts, a move that has drawn scrutiny from Kyiv and Western partners seeking assurances that mediation and security commitments will align with Ukraine’s sovereignty and defense needs.
Officials at the Paris meeting did not announce any concrete agreements or public timelines for implementing the proposed security guarantees. Details such as troop contributions, command arrangements, legal mandates and funding mechanisms were expected to be among the complex issues requiring further negotiation among the coalition partners and with Kyiv.
European leaders have repeatedly said that any multinational reassurance presence tied to a ceasefire would need a clear mandate and sustainable backing from allied states. How such a presence would operate on Ukrainian territory, under what conditions it would be deployed, and how it would be coordinated with Ukrainian forces remained key unresolved questions discussed in Paris.
A Ukrainian presidential official confirmed Witkoff’s planned meeting with Zelenskyy but did not provide further details on the agenda or timing. Representatives from France and the United Kingdom, who convened the coalition session, declined immediate comment outside the closed-door talks.
The Paris meetings mark another step in ongoing diplomatic efforts to translate Western political support for Ukraine into enduring security arrangements, while leaving open the most contentious operational and legal questions that will determine how those arrangements could be implemented if a ceasefire is reached.