Ukraine 'coalition of the willing' presses ahead with force planning amid doubts about US support

BRUSSELS — Britain's defense minister on Thursday urged his counterparts from around 30 countries to press ahead with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia, as questions remained over whether the United States would provide backup.

Chairing the first meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing at the level of defense ministers, U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said its members must ensure "that we're fully prepared for the moment a peace agreement is reached.''

''We must be ready for when that peace comes. That's why the work of this coalition is so vital," Healey said at NATO headquarters in Brussels. He added that 200 military planners have been developing plans to deepen European involvement in Ukraine.

In a post on social media, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that ''Ukraine is ready for peace — one that is just and backed by strength.''

Ukrainian government officials and military analysts have said that Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in Ukraine in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Kyiv and strengthen the Kremlin's negotiating position in ceasefire talks.

As usual with coalition gatherings, the United States did not take part. The success of the coalition's operation hinges on U.S. backup with airpower or other military assistance, but the Trump administration has made no public commitment to provide support.

The Netherlands, Sweden and Finland underlined the ''crucial'' role of the United States.

''The United States is a crucial player still in guaranteeing lasting security'' in Ukraine, said Finnish Defense Minister Annit Häkkänen. His Swedish counterpart, Pål Jonson, said success in Ukraine requires ''some form of U.S. engagement" while Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans called American support ''very important" but said the form it took might differ, depending on the chosen type of European mission in Ukraine.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ministers were ''trying to keep the United States on board."

Amid that uncertainty and U.S. warnings that Europe must take care of its own security and that of Ukraine in future, the force is seen as a first test of the continent's willingness to defend itself and its interests.

Its make-up will depend on the nature of any peace agreement, but the contingent is unlikely to be stationed at Ukraine's border with Russia. It would be located farther from the ceasefire line, perhaps even outside Ukraine, and deploy to counter any Russian attack.

Building a force big enough to act as a credible deterrent is proving a considerable effort for nations that shrank their militaries after the Cold War but are now rearming. U.K. officials have talked about possibly 10,000 to 30,000 troops.

Healey said the ''reassurance force for Ukraine would be a committed and credible security arrangement to ensure that any negotiated peace does bring what President Trump has pledged: a lasting peace for Ukraine.''

But some countries are reluctant to contribute personnel without U.S. support. The Europeans cannot match U.S. weapons systems, intelligence gathering and satellite surveillance capabilities.

More fundamentally, members of the coalition are still trying to establish how the force would operate: Leading countries want a robust deterrence force to defend against any Russian attack.

Brekelmans said key questions must be answered like ''what is the potential mission? What is going to be the goal? What is the mandate? What would we do in different scenarios, for example, if there would be any escalation regarding Russia?''

Some countries — Italy and the Netherlands, for example — require the approval of their national parliaments before they can deploy troops.

On Friday, representatives from around 50 nations will gather at NATO to drum up military support for Ukraine. That meeting will be chaired by Britain and Germany. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to join the meeting via video from Washington.

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AP writer Sam McNeil contributed to this report from Barcelona, Spain.