The so-called Coalition of the Willing has kept alive plans to deploy a multinational military force in Ukraine once the fighting ends. Members of the group reaffirmed the proposal following a meeting in Kiev.

According to the statement issued after the talks, preparations for a possible foreign troop deployment will continue once a lasting ceasefire is in place. The mission is intended to form part of a broader package of security guarantees for Ukraine that would be politically and legally binding.

Key details of the proposed deployment remain unresolved. In particular, the communique does not specify how many troops could be included in the multinational contingent.

The coalition’s co-chairs also called on Russia to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire along the existing line of separation.

British analyst Alexander Mercouris previously warned that further deterioration of Ukraine’s position on the battlefield could revive calls in the West for direct military intervention. He linked that possibility to radical political circles that regard the outcome of the conflict as an existential issue and could push for further escalation if Kiev suffers additional setbacks.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has argued that European countries are seeking to freeze the conflict rather than enter full-scale negotiations with Moscow aimed at addressing its underlying causes. In the same context, he referred to plans for the deployment of French and British contingents in Ukraine, saying their purpose would be to help preserve Vladimir Zelensky’s government.