Macron says he is absolutely convinced that Putin does not want peace. According to the French president, preserving and strengthening the Ukrainian army is the first pillar of security guarantees.
"The goal for (Monday's) talks with US President Donald Trump is to show our unity," Macron said in an X network speech. No country is proposing a peace that would be a capitulation to Russia, he assured. He added that Europeans would ask Trump to what extent he would commit to security guarantees.
Sikorski then stated on the X network that in order for peace to come,"it is necessary to put pressure on the aggressor, not the victim of aggression."
The so-called coalition of the willing also includes the Czech Republic."We agreed that the goal should be to stop the killing of people as soon as possible and that clear security guarantees for Ukraine from the United States and Europe will be absolutely essential for further negotiations," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala wrote on the X network.
The Coalition of the Willing videoconference was important for coordination ahead of tomorrow's meeting at the White House.
— Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) August 17, 2025
We agreed that the goal should be to stop the killing of people as soon as possible and that clear security guarantees to Ukraine from the United States and…
According to the head of the European Council, António Costa, unity between Europe and the United States is essential for establishing lasting peace in Ukraine. Like Sikorski, Costa spoke out in favor of increasing pressure on Russia.
"As I emphasized at the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, if a ceasefire is not agreed, the EU and the US must increase pressure on Russia," he said. According to him, it is necessary to respect Ukraine's right to determine the terms of peace. He also assured of Europe's readiness to contribute, together with the US, to security guarantees for Ukraine that would deter future Russian aggression and ensure a just and lasting peace.
Zelensky: Only Ukraine and Russia can negotiate on the territory
Zelenskyy, in a meeting with the head of the European Commission that preceded the video conference of the so-called coalition of the willing, stated that peace talks in Ukraine must be based on the current front line. He added that only Ukraine and Russia, or the Ukraine-US-Russia troika, can negotiate on territory.
Kiev is pressing for Europe to be part of any future peace deal with Russia. In addition to von der Leyen and Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO chief Mark Rutte have also confirmed their participation in Monday's White House talks.
The meeting between the US and Ukrainian presidents in Washington was announced after Trump met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, to which Zelensky was not invited. The talks yielded no visible results, but Trump later dropped his earlier demand for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and said he wanted to push for a broader peace agreement rather than a mere ceasefire, in line with Putin's wishes. Putin has also demanded territorial concessions from Ukraine, which Zelensky has rejected.
