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What we know about Thursday’s ‘Coalition of the Willing’ summit for Ukraine in Paris

World leaders will gather in Paris on Thursday for a high-stakes summit on Ukraine and to lay the groundwork for long-term security guarantees.
According to the Élysée Palace, 31 countries, including NATO allies, EU member states, and non-EU countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Norway are expected to attend.
On Wednesday evening, Macron will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris for a working dinner ahead of the summit.
“France will make the pursuit and reinforcement of military and financial support for Ukraine its top priority,” said the Élysée Palace in a statement sent to the press.
What is the ‘Coalition of the Willing?’
The summit’s primary goal is to finalise what security guarantees European nations are willing to offer — including whether they will consider deploying peacekeeping troops on the ground in Ukraine, still embroiled in Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year.
France, the UK and Ukraine are also reportedly working on presenting a peace treaty to the US, which will likely be discussed on Thursday.
The countries that agree to this deal would form a “coalition of the willing”.
Thursday’s summit comes at a pivotal moment as the United States announced it had brokered a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea.
French officials, however, remain cautious. “There’s still a long way to go,” the Élysée Palace warned, describing the agreement as a “first step” but insufficient for a lasting ceasefire.
Paris insists that all efforts are being conducted in full coordination with Washington. “All this is being done in complete transparency with our American partners,” the Élysée stated, with Macron set to brief US President Donald Trump on the summit’s outcomes.
Tensions have been escalating between the US and the EU. On Tuesday, Trump’s top national security officials laid bare their disdain for Europe in a top-secret group chat that was leaked when a journalist was mistakenly added to the conversation.
“I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s pathetic,” said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, leaving EU officials fuming.
What are the key discussion points?
One of the summit’s primary goals is to bolster aid to Ukraine, with each participating country expected to outline what it is prepared to do.
Another focus will be securing a “complete ceasefire,” accepted by Ukraine, but on which Russia has yet to state its position.
But France remains sceptical of any Russian promises. “We know what kind of cheating and manipulation Russia has already shown itself capable of,” an Élysée source remarked.
Thirdly, to provide long-term support for the Ukrainian army as Europe’s “first line of defence… to prevent further Russian aggression,” said Macron’s entourage.
The most sensitive issue, however, will be the possible establishment of a “reassurance force.”
This could involve deploying peacekeeping troops, an option strongly backed by France and the UK.
The question of whether to send peacekeeping troops is a thorny subject among the 27-nation bloc, with countries such as Italy and Poland opposing this outcome.
News
Abia govt agency reacts to alleged sex scandal involving Ex-Director, two female staff

Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, ASOPADEC has broken its silence on the alleged sex scandal involving its former Director and two female staff, where it was alleged that theit trysts were recorded on video.
The Commission which made a statement on Friday in reaction to the trending issue, said it does not condone immoral act in all ramifications.
A statement from ASOPADEC signed by Iyke Onuegbu, its Head of Media/PRO said its attention was drawn to the viral publications on social media, pointing out that ASOPADEC cannot be held responsible for unspeakable private affairs of employees outside office hours.
“The public is hereby informed that the incidents as alleged happened in the past and the former director in question has long retired from service.
“The Commission is taking steps to conduct an internal investigation on the matter after which appropriate sanctions would be applied on erring staff in line with the service rules” he said.
According to Onuegbu, at the inception of the new administration, frantic efforts were made to clean the mess of the past and the Commission is being administered with zero-tolerance towards any form of misconduct.
The agency cautioned its present staff to uphold the Commission’s mandates and not engage in any immoral acts that may bring the image of the agency to disrepute.
It appealed to the social media handlers and the public to distance the present administration with whatever that may have happened in the past.
News
Edo: Bishop begs Tinubu, security agencies to rescue kidnapped seminarians

The Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Gabriel Dunia, has called on President Bola Tinubu, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo and the security agencies to expedite action and rescue two abducted seminarians whose ordeal in the den of their captors was recently captured in a viral video.
In a statement signed by the Diocese’s Director of Communications, Reverend Peter Egielewa, on Thursday, the Bishop said he was deeply hurt that his seminarians had been with armed strangers for 35 days and urged people to pray for their release.
He particularly appealed to the president, the governor and all security agencies in the country to do the needful and help rescue the seminarians from the hands of the kidnappers.
Ekwutosblog reports that the viral video showed two young children clutching what appears to be a human skull, crying, and pleading for their release while surrounded by gun-wielding men.
The church confirmed in its statement that the children in the footage are two of the three seminarians kidnapped when gunmen attacked the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivhianokpodi-Agenebode, in the Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, on July 10, 2025.
“As the chief shepherd of the Diocese, I feel personally hurt and disturbed that my seminarians, our children, have been living with armed strangers for 35 days now. I find it difficult to sleep these days because of this. We have been praying since their kidnap, and again I call on people everywhere to please pray with us,” the Bishop said.
News
Police finally returned my stolen AI Ray-Ban sunglasses – Sowore

The Nigeria Police Force, NPF, has returned the Artificial intelligence, AI, Ray-Ban sun glasses back to activist politicians, Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore had alleged that the sun glass was stolen during a protest by retired police officers on July 21, 2025 at the Force headquarters.
The protest was organised to demand improved welfare and retirement benefits for Nigerian police officers.
During the peaceful protest, Sowore had claimed that the glass was stolen by one Aku Victor Chiemerie.
However, Sowore confirmed the return of the glasses in a post on X.
“Today, the Nigeria Police Force returned my stolen Ray-Ban Meta eyeglasses, stolen by the National Thief, Aku Victor Chiemerie, to me,” he wrote.
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