Coalition of the Willing
The Coalition of the Willing is an informal group of states that supports strengthening assistance to Ukraine and discussing measures to reinforce its security and defence capacity. It primarily brings together European countries alongside other states that share this objective.
-
Coalition of the Willing to rehearse Ukraine peacekeeping in Poland in November
Military exercises of the "Coalition of the Willing" will take place in Poland in November, rehearsing the deployment of European troops in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire or peace deal with Russia. British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting announced the drills after his first meeting with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on 15 October. At least 1,500 personnel from the UK, France and Germany will take part, alongside Polish forces.
-
Latvian PM tells EU: one beer per resident per year can help Ukraine survive
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kuļbergs urged EU leaders ahead of an October 15 summit in Brussels to step up financial support for Ukraine, framing the cost as roughly one beer per year for each of the bloc's 450 million residents. He warned that the coming winter would be critical for Ukraine under continued Russian strikes on power infrastructure and coupled the aid appeal with demands for tougher sanctions on Russia and curbs on Western components reaching Russian missiles.
-
Ukraine's finance minister tells Rada country is in liquidity crisis, blames $29.5bn shortfall in partner aid
Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko told the Verkhovna Rada on 12 October that Ukraine's state budget has fallen roughly 50 billion hryvnia short of planned revenues over nine months of 2026, with 39 billion hryvnia in payments deferred to year's end and capital expenditures blocked. He attributed the squeeze to a $29.5 billion shortfall in expected partner support tied to delayed reforms under IMF, EU and World Bank programs. Marchenko said military pay and social programs remain fully funded, but the Rada must now pass dozens of reform-related bills to unlock the rest.
-
Miami talks on Ukraine end after one day as Trump announces Russian diesel deal with Putin
On 9 October, US, Ukrainian, European and NATO representatives met in Miami to discuss ways to end Russia's war before winter, but the planned two-day meeting ended after a single day. The Ukrainian delegation cut short its visit and headed home after President Trump announced a phone-call deal with Vladimir Putin to supply Russian diesel fuel to US and world markets, prompting sharp criticism from Kyiv.
-
Zelensky and Macron discuss Rafale pilot training and new defense package in phone call
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone on 5 October. Zelensky announced that Ukrainian pilots will begin training on French Rafale fighter jets in France in the near future, and said a new French defense package is being prepared. The two leaders discussed drone-interception support, joint work on the FREYJA system, and localizing production of French missiles and aerial bombs in Ukraine, agreeing to continue talks at an in-person meeting.
-
German Chancellor Merz makes surprise Kyiv visit, announces €1.3+ billion support package and 15 bilateral agreements
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv by special train on 4 October for an unannounced solidarity visit, accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and roughly ten business leaders from the defence and energy sectors. He and President Volodymyr Zelensky honoured fallen Ukrainian defenders at the memorial on Maidan Nezalezhnosti, visited the National Academy of Sciences building hit by a Russian drone on 28 September, and announced a new German support package worth more than €1.3 billion alongside 15 bilateral agreements valued at over €8.5 billion. Merz called on Vladimir Putin to stop the war and announced that Germany, France and the UK would host a Coalition of the Willing meeting in Berlin in winter.
-
EU and Ukraine say 2026 budget and defence needs can be covered; Commission denies any financing gap
On 1 October 2026 the European Commission and Ukraine issued a joint statement saying they had identified the means to cover Ukraine's 2026 budget and defence needs and outlining the steps needed for timely disbursement. The next day Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said the EU and Ukraine had jointly concluded there is no external financing gap for 2026, and the Commission disbursed a €2.9 billion tranche under the Ukraine Facility. The Financial Times reported that EU Commissioners formally declined Ukraine's request to front-load part of the 2027 loan, linking further payments to reforms.
-
Ukraine says defence deficit for 2026 is $27 billion, $20 billion in partner talks
Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky said Ukraine's 2026 defence budget deficit stands at $27 billion. About $7 billion is to be covered through domestic austerity and reallocation, while the remaining $20 billion is being negotiated with international partners. The government is racing to meet commitments by mid-October or risk losing access to $29.5 billion in planned international financing.
-
IMF estimates Ukraine's financing gap at $54 billion through 2029 as donors meet in Brussels
On September 29, Ukraine's donors gathered in Brussels to accelerate talks on further financial assistance, as IMF estimates put Ukraine's financing gap at about $54 billion through 2029. EU member states remain divided on whether to use roughly €210 billion in frozen Russian central-bank assets or issue new common debt, while the European Commission and IMF tie further assistance to Ukraine's implementation of a reform plan.
-
Zelensky tells IMF's Georgieva in New York that Fund will help Ukraine secure part of 2027 financing
President Volodymyr Zelensky met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, and said the IMF will help Ukraine find part of the funds needed for its financial stability in 2027. Zelensky told Georgieva that the Verkhovna Rada had already passed some of the legislation required by partners and that the remaining laws would be adopted by year's end.
-
Macron at UNGA calls for more interceptor missiles for Ukraine and a 'double moratorium' on strikes
French President Emmanuel Macron used his September 22 address to the 81st UN General Assembly in New York to call for more interceptor missiles for Ukraine ahead of winter, propose a "double moratorium" on strikes against energy and civilian infrastructure and on hostilities in the Black Sea, and urge reform of the UN Security Council. He framed Russia's war on Ukraine as part of a "new era of barbarity" and said "there can be no peace without justice." On the sidelines he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump to discuss the moratorium and a winter support package.
-
EU commissioners set conditions in letter to Ukrainian lawmakers on extra defence funding
European commissioners have sent a letter to Ukrainian members of parliament setting out the conditions under which the EU would provide additional financing, responding to Ukraine's request for an extra $27 billion in defence funding. The letter, signed by Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, spells out legislative commitments Ukraine must meet under the Ukraine Facility and Ukraine Support Loan programmes.
-
Burnham and Macron discuss local SCALP missile production in Ukraine
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron met at Downing Street to discuss creating local assembly lines in Ukraine for long-range SCALP missiles. The leaders also reviewed the results of the recent "coalition of the willing" meeting held in Kyiv the previous week, and Burnham reaffirmed UK military aid of €3.5 billion annually for as long as needed.