France will host a meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” on Thursday, 4 September, to review plans for security guarantees for Ukraine, the Élysée has confirmed.

The session will be co-chaired by President Emmanuel Macron and the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, with some leaders joining in person and others by video. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to take part; US President Donald Trump is not expected to attend.

According to French officials, leaders will “discuss work on security guarantees for Ukraine carried out in recent weeks” and take stock of Russia’s continued refusal to end the war. A separate meeting of ministers from participating countries is planned for Wednesday to consider military support lines.

The Paris talks follow months of coordination among European and allied governments on a framework intended to deter future aggression and underpin any eventual settlement. Reporting indicates that options under consideration include training, equipment financing and the contours of a potential multinational reassurance presence, though decisions remain at an early stage.

The diplomatic push comes amid heightened concern over electronic disruption incidents affecting civil aviation in Europe. On Sunday a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen experienced GPS jamming while approaching Plovdiv, Bulgaria. EU officials said Russian interference was suspected; the aircraft landed safely using back-up procedures.

The Commission has noted that Europe is currently the most affected region worldwide by GPS jamming and spoofing, reflecting a sustained pattern since 2022. The Plovdiv incident added to a wider series recorded across the Baltic and eastern flank.

Separately, an interview given by von der Leyen has prompted a public rebuke from Berlin. In the Financial Times, she said Europe had “pretty precise” plans for possible troop deployments to Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees. Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, responded that the Commission has no mandate to speak on deployments and that such decisions require broad agreement among states.

While that exchange underscores differences of view on signalling and mandate, European capitals continue to coordinate assistance via NATO and ad hoc formats. On Monday, at Ukraine’s request, an extraordinary session of the NATO-Ukraine Council was held in Brussels to discuss recent Russian attacks and Kyiv’s immediate defence requirements, including air defence and long-range strike capabilities.

Thursday’s meeting in Paris will gather around 30 nations—mostly European, with partners including Canada, Australia and Turkey participating in various formats—to align political messaging and practical support measures. The Élysée has framed the discussion as part of a stepped process begun earlier in the year, with regular leader-level and ministerial checkpoints.

Officials say the immediate focus remains on codifying credible guarantees that can be activated quickly at the close of hostilities, while avoiding steps that would risk escalation during active fighting. Measures under review include long-term munitions supply arrangements, joint training pipelines, industrial support for Ukrainian defence production, and persistent surveillance and air-defence coverage in agreed areas. No final decisions are expected this week, but participants aim to narrow options and set timelines for technical work.

Attendance and format reflect the hybrid character of the coalition effort. Macron and Starmer will co-chair from Paris; other leaders and senior representatives will join remotely. French officials have indicated that the ministerial track on Wednesday is designed to feed concrete proposals into the leaders’ session the following day.

Von der Leyen flight hit by suspected GPS interference over Bulgaria