July 14, 2026, 07:01July 14, 2026, 07:01
French President Emmanuel Macron has surprisingly announced joint maneuvers by the “Coalition of the Willing” of Ukraine’s allies in the neighboring countries of the country attacked by Russia for the next few months.
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced maneuvers in neighboring countries of Ukraine.Image: keystone
The exercises should, among other things, show “that we are ready, determined and credible – on land, in the air and at sea,” said Macron after coalition discussions in Paris, which were attended by, among others, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, Macron left it open who exactly should be involved in these maneuvers and when and where exactly they should be organized. The coalition now has a multinational force for Ukraine that is ready for action, said the French president. However, he did not specify which countries would be part of the multinational force – there had so far been no agreement or public announcement by the coalition of the willing.
Macron’s move with maneuvers comes as a surprise
At a Ukraine summit in Berlin in December, several European states agreed to form a European-led and US-supported “multinational force for Ukraine” to secure a possible ceasefire and to support the Ukrainian armed forces. At that time there was no talk of joint maneuvers before a ceasefire. Efforts to end the war have been stalled for months.
Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.Image: keystone
As Macron said, the maneuvers are intended to test operational plans. According to the final declaration of the Paris summit, the force is intended to demonstrate its capabilities for deployment after hostilities have ended. It is intended to support Ukrainian armed forces in peacetime, for example in securing airspace and maritime areas.
Merz leaves German participation open
Merz did not mention the multinational force and the maneuvers in his statement. He simply said that the coalition of the willing was ready to play an “important role” in providing security guarantees for Ukraine after a ceasefire, in close cooperation with the USA. Ukraine and its allies would decide on the structure, not Moscow.
“The federal government and the German Bundestag will also decide on the type and extent of the German contribution,” emphasized the Chancellor. Merz had already left the German contribution to a multinational force open in December after the Ukraine summit in Berlin.
Delivery of additional weapon systems
Macron also confirmed the delivery of further weapons systems to Ukraine. «Supporting Ukraine is an investment in our own security. And those who believe that this war will stop at the Ukrainian borders if we give in or seek means to meet the aggressor are mistaken,” emphasized France’s head of state.
More than 35 countries have come together in the Coalition of the Willing. At the beginning of the year, in a statement in Paris, they agreed to give Ukraine a legally binding assurance that they would not be left alone in the event of another Russian attack.
In view of ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine, Germany, France and seven other countries joined forces with Ukraine in a new purely defensive missile defense coalition at the meeting in Paris. “By establishing the missile defense coalition, we are strengthening the capabilities that Europe needs,” said Macron. Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Great Britain are also involved. The aim of the new alliance is industrial cooperation to complement existing missile defense systems.
Ukraine is developing its own defense system
At the Paris meeting, Ukrainian President Zelensky called for the creation of a new European air defense system within twelve months. Ukraine is working on its own system called Freyja, which is intended to be a cost-effective and powerful alternative to the US Patriot system.
Zelensky is making every effort to obtain new ammunition for his country’s Patriot anti-aircraft systems from partners. They are the most effective defensive weapon against Russia’s ballistic missiles. But the PAC-3 guided missiles are in short supply and production in the USA is running slowly.
At the NATO summit in Ankara, US President Donald Trump promised Ukraine a license to build ammunition for the Patriot air defense system. But this is a long-term solution – and Russia is taking advantage of the current shortage of ammunition on site.
Zelensky asks for more anti-aircraft missiles
Zelensky asked for additional supplies of anti-aircraft missiles for the coming winter. “We have calculated that this package should include 100 Patriot missiles per month – 300 missiles for the winter,” said the head of state, according to a statement about the talks. The more means of protection Ukraine has, the less reason Russia has to drag the war into the winter. Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion since February 2022. The Ukrainian air defense system has so far been modernized thanks to Western help, especially from Germany. (dab/sda/dpa)