Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's push to bolster international support and receive additional air defenses continues on August 24 as the so-called Coalition of the Willing meets to discuss ways to pressure Russia to halt its invasion months ahead of another likely brutal winter.The summit -- with some leaders attending in person in Kyiv and others joining by video conference -- comes a day after a grouping of Baltic and Nordic nations gathered in the Ukrainian capital in a show of support for Ukraine.The Coalition of the Willing, led by London and Paris, is an informal grouping of some 34 countries supporting Ukraine. No US representative was identified as a participant in the upcoming meeting.
Ahead of the event, Zelenskyy stressed the urgency of securing European funding for Ukraine's defense -- especially against Russia's deadly ballistic missiles -- calling on the European Parliament to approve the legislation needed to unlock the money."We are supposed to receive 30 billion euros in European funding.... It is tied to the adoption of the relevant legislation," he said. "It is very important here that parliament works -- the entire parliament, including the opposition. Because [this money is] needed for the defense of the entire country."French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will co-chair the meeting, which will focus on continued military support for Ukraine, air defense, and longer-term security arrangements.Both Macron and NATO Deputy Secretary-General Radmila Sekerinska will join the summit remotely via video link.Baltic-Nordic SupportLeaders from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Norway convened in the Ukrainian capital on August 23. Other senior representatives from partner countries were also in attendance.The prime minister of Norway, one of the wealthier nations of the group, pledged major assistance for Ukraine next year following a large allotment from his government in 2026."Norway's support to Ukraine next year will be at the level of this year: $9 billion, a record high," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told reporters in Kyiv. The majority of it will go to Ukraine's military, the Norwegian government said.Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, who co-chaired the summit with Zelenskyy, said Ukraine needs continued military support.
