UK and France convene first Defence Ministers' Ukraine Coalition of the Willing meeting
UK and France convene defence ministers鈥� meeting in Brussels to progress planning to support a lasting peace in Ukraine
Operational discussions to plan for a multinational reassurance force to support Ukraine in securing a lasting peace will progress today [April 10] with 30 defence ministers set to attend the latest Coalition of the Willing meeting.
The Defence Secretary, John Healey, and his French counterpart, Minister S茅bastien Lecornu, will host around 30 nations involved in planning for the Coalition of the Willing in Brussels later today.
The meetings will focus on how the capabilities of each nation in the Coalition could be best used in supporting Ukraine鈥檚 long-term defence and security.
The Prime Minister and Defence Secretary have both been clear that a lasting peace in Ukraine will require credible security assurances to deter Russian aggression. The UK has been stepping up to lead international support to keep Ukraine in the fight now and put them in the strongest possible position to secure peace.
Addressing the meeting, Defence Secretary John Healey MP is expected to say:
A couple of weeks ago, I visited the UK鈥檚 Permanent Joint Headquarters where military leaders from around 30 nations were developing options and progressing plans. I was struck by their sense of historic responsibility to secure the peace in Ukraine and to strengthen European security for all our nations.
We cannot jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war, so we must put even more pressure on Putin and step up our support for Ukraine 鈥� both in today鈥檚 fight and the push for peace. Our commitment is to put Ukraine in the strongest position to protect Ukraine鈥檚 sovereignty and deter future Russian aggression.
The meeting today comes after the Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, travelled to Kyiv with French military chiefs last weekend to meet President Zelenskyy, Defence Minister Umerov, and Ukrainian military leaders to update and discuss planning.
Tomorrow, the Defence Secretary and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius will chair the 27th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, bringing together around 50 nations to drive forward additional military support for Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian attacks.
The UK convened and chaired the group in its latest format for the first time in February, with 46 nations in attendance, raising an extra 1.5 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine. These latest meetings come after the UK set the path to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence from 2027, and a boost to defence spending of 拢5 billion for this financial year, delivering on the government鈥檚 Plan for Change.
This work delivers on the Prime Minister鈥檚 four-point plan to support Ukraine by ramping up delivery of weapons and equipment, boosting Ukraine鈥檚 defensive capabilities in the long term, working with allies to develop robust security assurances, and keeping up pressure on Putin.
The UK is fully committed to working with allies to step up support to ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position to secure peace and is stepping up support 鈥� providing 拢4.5 billion of military support this year 鈥� more than ever before.
This support is vital to European security but is also supporting growth across the UK, with defence as an engine for growth. Last month, the Prime Minister announced a historic 拢1.6 billion deal to provide more than five thousand air defence missiles for Ukraine - creating 200 new jobs and supporting a further 700. Defence supports more than 434,000 skilled jobs in the UK.
The UK has sent around 400 different capabilities to Ukraine, with a 拢150 million package including drones, tanks and air defence systems announced on 12 February 2025, a 拢225 million package including drones, boats and munitions announced on 19 December 2024, and 650 lightweight multirole missiles announced on 6 September 2024.