French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday that Europe is ready to offer security guarantees to Ukraine once a peace agreement is reached to end the ongoing war triggered by the 2022 Russian invasion.

Standing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron declared, “We are ready, we the Europeans, to offer the security guarantees to Ukraine and Ukrainians the day that a peace (accord) is signed.”

The statement comes just ahead of a European summit in Paris, where regional leaders are expected to address the next steps in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Details remain confidential

President Macron noted that while the preparations for the guarantees were completed during a recent meeting of European defense ministers, the specifics of the proposed security framework remain "extremely confidential."

The announcement is seen as part of a broader European push to solidify long-term commitments to Ukraine in anticipation of a possible diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

European divisions and coalition talks

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are due to co-chair a September 4 summit of the "Coalition of the Willing" in Paris with Zelensky, aiming to craft a multinational security framework once a ceasefire is in place.

By contrast, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently rejected speculation about Bundeswehr deployments, stressing Berlin's focus on financial assistance and security guarantees. 

While Trump has promised no US troops will serve in Ukraine, he has suggested a mix of European reassurance forces and American private contractors could provide long-term security. Russia has condemned such ideas, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warning that any NATO-linked presence in Ukraine "under any designation" would be unacceptable.

Read more: Russia will fight on if peace talks fail, sees hope ahead: Putin