Coalition of the Willing: Step towards peace in the Ukraine conflict?

Coalition of the Willing: Step towards peace in the Ukraine conflict?

On November 24, 2025, the “Coalition of the Willing”, an association of around 30 mainly European states, will discuss developments in the Ukraine war in a video conference. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, aims to evaluate the results of talks in Geneva that took place on Sunday. Delegations from the United States, Ukraine and several European countries took part in these negotiations, with the focus on the 28-point plan put forward by the United States to end the war. The discussions found that the plan, which accommodates Moscow in key demands, brings both progress and challenges, as Kleine Zeitung reports.

Friedrich Merz expressed skepticism about the negotiations and does not expect a breakthrough this week. He described the process as arduous and expects only minor progress. Merz also emphasized that Ukraine must not be forced to make unilateral territorial concessions, as Ukrainian interests are also European interests. Meanwhile, the EU heads of state and government are evaluating the results of the talks in Geneva on the sidelines of the EU-Africa summit in Luanda. They are also looking for ways to adapt US President Donald Trump's controversial 28-point plan, whose proposals include, among other things, reducing the size of the Ukrainian military and rejecting Ukraine's accession to NATO, as taz report.

Ukraine's position and international reactions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone to several European leaders and praised diplomatic efforts following the Geneva talks. Finnish President Alexander Stubb was positive but cautious about the negotiations on the US plan and spoke of progress, but accompanied by major unresolved problems. Particular attention was paid to the statement by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who described the talks as constructive and useful.

However, the reality of war remains worrying: Russian attacks on Ukraine continued, particularly in Kharkiv, where four people were killed and 13 injured. A Ukrainian Air Force airstrike reported 162 attack drones fired by Russia in one night. In response to the situation, Romania has activated fighter jets to counter the threat of Russian drone attacks on civilian and port infrastructure near the border.

Outlook and further developments

The current talks show that the US and Europe support Ukraine's position, which seeks a full restoration of its territorial integrity. Russia, on the other hand, rejects any territorial concessions and calls for the complete “demilitarization” and “denazification” of Ukraine. As Tagesschau reports, the USA has changed its positions under Trump and is pushing for a quick ceasefire. It is expected that concessions will be demanded from Ukraine to avoid loss of territory. A special EU summit is already scheduled for March 6th to clarify outstanding questions about support for Ukraine and European security.