Some 30 Western leaders were holding talks on Thursday (September 4) with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy over security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a peace deal with Russia, hoping to do enough to persuade the United States to back their efforts.

The summit in Paris of the "coalition of the willing" brought together leaders from Europe, Australia, Japan and Canada, though only some attended in person with many choosing to join by video-link.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff also joined the meeting in person.

Members of the coalition, which does not include the U.S., have talked for months at various levels to define their prospective military support for Ukraine to help deter Russia from attacking it again if and when there is a final truce - currently still a remote prospect.

But those efforts have stalled as governments have said any European military role would need its own U.S. security guarantees as a "backstop." U.S. President Donald Trump has made no explicit commitment to provide those.

French President Emmanuel Macron said alongside Zelenskiy in Paris on Wednesday (September 3) that the coalition leaders would endorse plans for security guarantees drawn up by their militaries.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 4, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, AND FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, WALKING INSIDE ELYSEE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, ARRIVING FOR COALITION OF THE WILLING MEETING

2. ZELENSKIY AND MACRON WALKING / ZELENSKIY HUGGING DUTCH PRIME MINISTER, DICK SCHOOF

3. ZELENSKIY GREETING EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT, ANTONIO COSTA, DANISH PRIME MINISTER, METTE FREDERIKSEN, AND UNITED STATES SPECIAL ENVOY, STEVE WITKOFF

4. ZELENSKIY GREETING EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, AND BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER, BART DE WEVER

5. SCREEN SHOWING SIGN FOR COALITION OF THE WILLING MEETING

6. VON DER LEYEN WALKING INSIDE ELYSEE

7. SCHOOF WALKING INSIDE ELYSEE

8. COSTA WALKING INSIDE ELYSEE

9. POLISH PRIME MINISTER, DONALD TUSK, WALKING INSIDE ELYSEE

10. TUSK WALKING, HUGGING SCHOOF

11. TUSK SHAKING HANDS WITH COSTA

12. COSTA WALKING BY, SCHOOF SEATED, WITKOFF AND FREDERIKSEN IN BACKGROUND

13. VARIOUS OF VON DER LEYEN SPEAKING WITH WITKOFF, COSTA AND FINNISH PRESIDENT, ALEXANDER STUBB, STANDING BY

14. SCREEN SHOWING SIGN FOR COALITION OF THE WILLING MEETING

15. ZELENSKIY AND MACRON TAKING SEATS

16. ZELENSKIY AND MACRON AT START OF MEETING