French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries, mainly European allies, have committed to deploy troops as part of a future Russian-Ukrainian ceasefire mission, though they would not be placed directly on the front lines.

Speaking at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron said the countries would contribute to a “reassurance force” that could operate in Ukraine or provide support by land, sea, or air. The initiative follows the latest meeting of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing.”

Macron also revealed that coalition participants held a joint call with US President Donald Trump, who is expected to finalize Washington’s role in the coming days. Trump has suggested that US support will likely focus on air defense and air support, a move Zelensky described as crucial to ensuring “maximum protection for Ukraine’s skies.”

The announcement came after a virtual summit of 35 nations co-chaired by Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where members reaffirmed their readiness to provide security guarantees for Kyiv.

Zelensky hailed the move as a “concrete step forward,” while also emphasizing that dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin—whether bilateral or trilateral—remains necessary to advance peace efforts.

“The deployment of a multinational reassurance force shows unity among allies and demonstrates that Ukraine is not alone,” Zelensky said.

The coalition, which includes most NATO members alongside other partners, has framed the mission as a confidence-building measure to enforce a ceasefire and deter further aggression.

The French government underscored that the deployment is not intended as direct combat engagement but rather as a stabilizing mechanism once a ceasefire agreement is in place.