Ukraine’s allies on Monday at a Paris summit announced more air defense support for Kyiv and exercises of the force to be deployed after a ceasefire in efforts to increase pressure on Russia to end the war.

Representatives of the 37 coalition members, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, gathered for the 16th meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, launched by France and the United Kingdom to provide military support to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

“We are determined to continue supporting Ukraine even faster and more forcefully,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at the close of the meeting.

He announced Ukraine would acquire 16 Rafale fighter jets, the first of which would “take to the skies” by 2028-2029, as well as new-generation SAMP/T batteries to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, which have come under strain from repeated Russian ballistic missile strikes in recent weeks.

Macron also announced the Multinational Force for Ukraine, which would be deployed once the fighting has ended, would hold exercises in the coming months in Ukraine’s neighboring countries “to validate our deployment plans and demonstrate that we are ready”.

The meeting came the day before France’s national public holiday Bastille Day, which includes a military parade that this year will highlight support for Ukraine, opening with 500 soldiers from coalition countries.

Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will attend the parade with a host of other coalition leaders.

“It is time to put an end to this pointless bloodshed in Ukraine,” Merz said after the summit. He said support for Ukraine — for which Germany’s ambassador to Russia was summoned on Monday — was “for the sake of freedom throughout Europe”. (AFP)