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Zelenskyy in Paris Outlines Plan to Pressure Russia and Protect Skies
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![Photo of Liubava Petriv]( "Photo of Liubava Petriv")
On September 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, where leaders from a core group of countries gathered in person and others joined virtually to discuss their readiness to contribute to Ukraine’s security and long-term defense.
Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelenskyy outlined the key points of a newly agreed security framework.
He emphasized that a strong Ukrainian army would remain “the central element of security guarantees,” supported by financing, weapons deliveries, joint training programs, and domestic as well as European arms production.
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“European weapon production lines are not working enough,” Zelenskyy said, urging more investment and acceleration in defense manufacturing.
He also called for “maximum protection” of Ukrainian skies to save civilian lives from Russia’s ongoing missile and drone strikes, noting discussions on a new format of air defense cooperation with US involvement.
The Ukrainian president also stressed that pressure on Russia remains essential.
“The key to ending the war is to deprive the Russian war machine of resources,” he said, pointing to sanctions and special tariffs on trade with Russia as tools that can help accelerate the end of the war.
⚡️Zelenskyy: Putin will be forced into peace once we strip Russia’s war machine of its ability to produce weapons. pic.twitter.com/GewKV9oaVj
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) September 4, 2025
The framework for guarantees, agreed at the summit, includes concrete steps in areas ranging from cyber defense to air defense. Each participating country is expected to take responsibility for specific sectors.
The Ukrainian president underlined that these guarantees must be lasting and legally binding, unlike the Budapest Memorandum or Minsk agreements, which proved ineffective. He reiterated that the intention is “to finish this war as soon as possible” while ensuring Ukraine’s long-term security.
Zelenskyy rejected Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s suggestion of talks in Moscow as unrealistic, saying that Moscow itself is deliberately postponing peace negotiations.
⚡️ Zelenskyy on Putin’s invite: If you want no meeting to happen — then invite me to Moscow.
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) September 4, 2025
"Russia started talking about a meeting, that’s not bad, but we still don’t see any desire to end the war.” pic.twitter.com/H01yVmUEvO
After the press conference, Zelenskyy posted that the United States had committed to supporting Ukraine in the long term, including through programs such as PURL, which allows Kyiv to purchase US weapons directly.
He disclosed details of a “long and detailed conversation” with US President Donald Trump, held on the sidelines of the summit with European leaders present. The talks focused on options to advance toward real peace through stronger pressure on Russia.
“Until peace comes, Ukrainians must not depend on constant Russian attacks,” he said. “Russian missiles and drones must not be allowed to take lives.”
On the same day, Russia reportedly began its largest military redeployment since the failed Kyiv assault in 2022, moving tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry to the Donetsk front, with OSINT analysts warning of a possible major offensive to seize remaining Ukrainian-held areas.
