Merz välkomnar Zelenskyj till Berlin

The coalition of the willing (CoW) is a coalition of 34 countries (plus Ukraine) that have pledged strengthened support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, going further than the support delivered by the Ukraine Defense Contact Group by pledging readiness to be part of a peacekeeping force deployed on Ukrainian territory, either by providing troops or contributing in other ways. The peacekeeping force is envisaged to be deployed only the moment Ukraine and Russia sign a "comprehensive ceasefire agreement" or "peace deal" to settle the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. The initiative, led by the United Kingdom and France, was announced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 2 March 2025, following the 2025 London Summit on Ukraine under the motto "securing our future". The stated aim of the initiative is to facilitate the peace negotiation attempts launched and mediated by the United States between Ukraine and Russia in February 2025, by helping to build strong enough security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure that a potential reached ceasefire or peace deal would be lasting. Besides building a potential peacekeeping force, the coalition have expressed readiness to increase military support for Ukraine and strengthen economic sanctions against Russia in the event that the ongoing negotiations for a "comprehensive ceasefire" or "peace deal" fail. As of 20 March 2025, its exact shape and function was still being planned, but the coalition was moving into an "operational phase".