Countries allied with Ukraine in its war with Russia are meeting on Monday to reaffirm support for Kyiv and discuss how to pressure Moscow to halt its invasion, in talks held symbolically on Ukraine's independence day. French President Emmanuel Macron will co-chair the gathering of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" via video link.
Issued on: 24/08/2026 - 07:02
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Macron will be joined by co-chairs German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and, for the first time, the new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the Élysée Palace said in a statement on Friday. "This meeting, which will be held symbolically on the 35th anniversary of the celebration of Ukraine's independence, will be an opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering support for the Ukrainian people and their fight to preserve sovereignty and independence," the French presidency said. On Saturday, Macron promised to ramp up support for Ukraine in the wake of a deadly Russian drone strike on a shopping centre in the east of the country. It includes sending interceptor missiles crucial for shooting down ballistic missiles, with which Russia has been pounding Ukrainian cities in near nightly attacks. France to send interceptor missiles to Ukraine after Russian strikes Critical missiles For weeks, Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv and other urban areas. The bombardments have helped drive the civilian death toll in Ukraine in 2026 to its highest level since the first months of the war, according to the United Nations. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky last week urged a global response to Moscow's "escalation" of the four-year conflict.
