More than two dozen countries have pledged to join a force to deploy in Ukraine after any eventual peace deal with Russia, aiming to deter Moscow from again attacking its neighbour, leaders announced Thursday.

A "reassurance force" for Ukraine is a key pillar of the security guarantees a coalition of mainly European countries want to offer to Ukraine if the war ends via a peace deal or a ceasefire.

However there is also growing concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin is now showing no interest in a peace accord, with alarm intensifying after his high-profile visit to Beijing this week.

And the extent of any US involvement in any eventual security backstop remains uncertain, even after European leaders spoke to President Donald Trump via video conference following the summit in Paris of the so-called "coalition of the willing".

It was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and attended by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, while others, like UK premier Keir Starmer, participated remotely.

The meeting represented a new push led by Macron to show that Europe can act........

© International Business Times