The Coalition of the Willing reaffirms its commitment to supporting Ukraine in its defense
London, August 24 (KUNA) -- The Coalition of the Willing reaffirmed on Monday its commitment to continuing support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia. This was stated in a statement issued by the United Kingdom, which co-chaired the coalition leaders’ meeting held in Kyiv via video conference.
According to the statement, the coalition leaders expressed their solidarity with “Ukraine’s struggle to defend its sovereignty, freedom, and territorial integrity,” while condemning “the systematic and escalating Russian strikes against Ukraine, which have caused the highest number of civilian casualties since the war began in 2022.”
They reiterated “Ukraine’s clear and inherent right to defend itself against the Russian aggressive war in full compliance with international law and Article 51 of the UN Charter,” adding that they “will not back down from supporting Ukraine regardless of irresponsible Russian threats.”
The leaders confirmed their intention to increase military support for Ukraine by strengthening cooperation with its defense industry and exchanging relevant technologies, including through the Missile Defense Coalition. They also agreed on “the need to provide urgent assistance to Ukraine’s energy sector in preparation for the upcoming winter through the Ukrainian Energy Support Fund and by supplying specialized equipment,” emphasizing “the necessity of continuing to support Ukraine’s economic resilience in the face of escalating Russian attempts to reimpose a naval blockade on Ukrainian ports.”
The leaders clarified that economic sanctions imposed on Russia have deprived Moscow of $495 billion since February 2022, while welcoming US Senate efforts to exert further economic pressure on Russia. They reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with the United States in the coming months to take coordinated actions to drain Russia’s resources, thereby reducing its capacity to continue its illegal war against Ukraine.
The leaders stressed that the coalition “will continue to prepare the multinational force for Ukraine for deployment immediately upon the achievement of a ceasefire, as part of a broader package of strong, politically and legally binding security guarantees to ensure Ukraine’s security and prosperity in the future once a ceasefire enters into force.”
Among those who participated in the meeting were British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The meeting was chaired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Prime Minister Burnham arrived in Ukraine earlier as part of his first international trip since assuming office in July, which included plans to present long-range missile systems to Kyiv. (End) A.S.H. / F.S.
