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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a phone call with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Saturday, welcoming Canberra’s commitment to considering participation in the “Coalition of the Willing” — a group of countries dedicated to ensuring Ukraine’s long-term security and peace.
That’s according to a press release posted on the UK government’s website, Ukrinform reports.
“The [UK] Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese this morning. […] He welcomed Prime Minister Albanese’s commitment to consider contributing to a Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine and looked forward to the Chiefs of Defense meeting in Paris on Tuesday,” the statement reads.
Albanese later wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that during the call, he reaffirmed Australia’s “commitment to the brave people of Ukraine in defense of their sovereignty and international law.”
Following the March 2 summit of European leaders in London, Starmer stated that the UK is ready to support the “Coalition of the Willing,” which could enforce any future peace agreement in Ukraine with troops on the ground and aircraft in the air. He emphasized that Europe must bear this heavy burden but acknowledged that U.S. support is crucial.
Reports indicate that British officials have held discussions with representatives from around 20 countries interested in forming the coalition.
On March 12, defense ministers from Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK will meet in Paris to coordinate military support for Ukraine. This meeting will take place a day after the summit of European chiefs of staff, where nations ready to guarantee Ukraine’s future peace will convene — an initiative previously announced by French President Emmanuel Macron.
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