Russia-Ukraine Conflict: What is the ‘Coalition of the Willing,’ Europe’s Latest Strategy? | Updates on the Russia-Ukraine War

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced the formation of a “coalition of the willing” to develop a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. This plan will be presented to U.S. President Donald Trump for his support, following a public disagreement between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, which signaled a fracture in Washington’s backing for Kyiv.

In contrast, Zelenskyy received assurances of support from European allies on Sunday during a security summit in London, hastily organized by Starmer, who greeted the Ukrainian leader with a hug.

On Friday, a live-broadcast meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy deteriorated quickly, with Trump repeatedly interrupting Zelenskyy and accusing him of “gambling with World War III.”

Tensions in the Oval Office followed a war of words between Trump and Zelenskyy, who cut his U.S. visit short and promptly turned to Europe for support.

But what exactly is a “coalition of the willing,” who might be part of it, and can it meaningfully assist Ukraine without U.S. backing?

What did Starmer say?

After the security summit, Starmer stated that participants had agreed on four key points:

• European leaders are willing to collaborate on a peace plan for Ukraine to present to the U.S. “This is not a moment for more talk. It’s time to act, time to step up and lead, and to unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace,” the UK leader said.
• Any lasting peace effort must uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty, and Ukraine must be at the negotiating table.
• Starmer and other European leaders pledged to continue providing military aid to Ukraine.
• If a peace deal is reached, Ukraine’s defense capabilities will be strengthened. “In the event of a peace deal, we will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities to deter any future invasions,” Starmer said.

Starmer also announced a new £1.6 billion ($2 billion) deal with Ukraine on Sunday, which will enable Kyiv to use the funds for export finance to purchase 5,000 air defense missiles.

What is a coalition of the willing?

A coalition of the willing refers to a temporary international partnership formed to address a specific issue or achieve a particular military or political objective.

The coalition announced by Starmer appears to have its initial task as the creation of a plan to end the war in Ukraine, offering security guarantees to Kyiv while being acceptable to Trump—who has made it clear that neither the U.S. nor NATO will provide such a security umbrella.

It remains unclear whether Starmer also implied that the coalition would oversee the implementation of future security guarantees or whether member states would deploy troops to Ukraine for this purpose.

Unlike binding international bodies such as the European Union or NATO, a coalition of the willing consists of countries that voluntarily join the initiative.

European leaders have not disclosed details of the proposed peace plan. Prior to the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron told *Le Figaro* that the UK and France aim to propose a one-month ceasefire, halting sea and air attacks as well as strikes on energy infrastructure. France and the UK have also indicated openness to sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine as part of any ceasefire agreement.

Who is part of the coalition?

Starmer announced that the UK, France, and other countries will join the coalition, without specifying which other nations are involved.

However, on Sunday, leaders or representatives from 12 European countries attended the security summit in London. These included: Zelenskyy, Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte were also present at the summit.

What prompted Starmer’s announcement?

The announcement was “obviously because of what happened in the White House on Friday,” Timothy Ash, an associate fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House, told Al Jazeera. “Europe needed to step up in terms of the peace process, and it did.”

He added that it makes sense for Starmer to take the lead, as the UK is not part of the EU and serves as a bridge between the U.S. and Europe.

The EU’s ability to support Ukraine is hindered by Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long resisted unconditional support for Kyiv.

In a letter to Costa on Saturday, Orban suggested that the EU should initiate direct discussions with Russia. “I am convinced that the European Union—following the example of the United States—should enter into direct discussions with Russia on a ceasefire and sustainable peace in Ukraine,” he wrote. “Therefore, I propose not to attempt adopting written conclusions on Ukraine.”

Will Starmer’s push help Ukraine?

Ash described Starmer’s recent actions as a “good thing,” as Europe and Ukraine were excluded from earlier peace negotiations between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia. “They should have been, and now they are.”

After leaving London, Zelenskyy said he had secured “Europe’s clear support.”

“The problem with the U.S.-Russia peace process is that it wasn’t likely to be very durable,” Ash said. To ensure sustainability, “the deal has to guarantee that Ukraine continues to receive the weapons it needs. This is more important than peacekeepers on the ground,” he noted. He highlighted that the continuous supply of weapons to Ukraine was not discussed during the U.S.-Russia peace talks.

Have there been such coalitions in the past?

Yes. In 1999, an Australia-led coalition known as the International Force East Timor (INTERFET), operating under a United Nations mandate and composed of troops from Australia, the UK, and New Zealand, intervened in East Timor. This marked the first UN-authorized peace mission by a coalition of the willing.

In 2003, 30 countries provided support, in varying capacities, to former U.S. President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, which lacked a UN mandate. These nations contributed to an invasion force totaling around 160,000 soldiers, with the UK sending 45,000 troops and Australia deploying about 2,000. The coalition grew to 38 countries following the invasion.

Can a coalition of the willing work without the U.S. at its heart?

While the coalition can formulate a peace plan, both Zelenskyy and Starmer have acknowledged that U.S. support is crucial for the execution of any potential agreement.

During one of his nightly video addresses, Zelenskyy said, “There will be diplomacy for the sake of peace,” adding that it will be “for the sake of us all being together—Ukraine, all of Europe, and definitely, definitely America.”

“To support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing,” Starmer stated after the summit.