Prime Minister Mark Carney met with key international allies today as part of a high-level strategy session to bolster support for Ukraine before critical ceasefire negotiations between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week. The gathering, known as the “Coalition of the Willing,” brought together leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ukraine, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance to coordinate diplomatic pressure on Moscow. Chaired by the leaders of the U.K., France, and Germany, the talks focused on aligning positions ahead of Friday’s summit in Alaska, where Trump and Putin will meet face-to-face to discuss ending the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while actively engaged in today’s discussions, will not be attending the Alaska summit. However, Trump has indicated he plans to meet with both Zelenskyy and Putin separately in the near future. Speaking ahead of the talks, Trump warned there would be “very severe consequences” if Putin refuses to commit to ending the conflict, while French President Emmanuel Macron said the U.S. leader was “very clear” about his goal of achieving a ceasefire during Friday’s negotiations. The outcome of these back-to-back meetings could shape the next phase of the war and determine whether diplomatic channels can finally bring an end to more than three years of devastating fighting.