Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the United Kingdom and France took a major step in European security and politics. On July 9–10, 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the formation of a new “coalition of the willing”—an initiative aimed at deploying a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine after a ceasefire is established. This move signals both countries’ ambitions to lead in European affairs. The UK and France plan to coordinate with other European and NATO countries to support sustainable peace, deter renewed aggression from Russia, and assist Ukraine in the post-conflict period. According to Starmer, the coalition may involve up to 30 countries ready to provide troops, logistics, and training for Ukrainian forces. The idea originates from a March 2025 summit in London, where Starmer first proposed creating the coalition independently of NATO or EU mandates. Now the initiative is entering an operational phase, with discussions on deploying up to 50,000 soldiers, establishing command centers, protecting critical infrastructure, and coordinating with U.S. air support. Key points include participation in humanitarian and civil protection, legal guarantees of involvement, and readiness to act should Russia violate the ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other EU leaders, including Olaf Merz (Germany) and Giorgia Meloni (Italy), expressed support. Delegations from Poland, Lithuania, and the Netherlands also participated in talks in London. The summit sent a strong message: Europe, led by the UK and France, is ready to take charge, without waiting for U.S. directives. It reshapes the continent’s security architecture, emphasizing national coalitions as complements to NATO. Sources: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/migrant-deal-latest-news-starmer-macron-lq25d6zhk, https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/jul/10/russia-ukraine-war-europe-live-latest-news-updates-putin-zelenskyy-von-der-leyen-eu, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_of_the_willing_(Russo-Ukrainian_War)