coalition of vontiers in Paris (Flickr)

The Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine meets this Monday, August 24 — the 35th anniversary of Ukrainian independence — under the joint chairmanship of Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Andy Burnham. The meeting comes at an urgent moment: fighting is intensifying on the ground and Moscow is preparing a new mobilization, while in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky has just ruled out holding elections in wartime.

A Meeting Under Heavy Diplomatic Pressure

According to a statement from the Élysée Palace released Friday, August 21, the Coalition of the Willing — an international alliance supporting Ukraine formed in March 2025 at the initiative of Czech President Petr Pavel — will meet this Monday at 1 p.m. in a hybrid format, with Volodymyr Zelensky taking part. The session will be jointly chaired by Emmanuel Macron, via videoconference, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and, for the first time, new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. About a dozen leaders, including European Council President António Costa, are expected to be in Kyiv alongside the Ukrainian head of state, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is not expected to attend in person.
According to a European official cited by several news agencies, talks are expected to focus primarily on strengthening Ukrainian air defenses, as the country faces a shortage of interceptors against Russian strikes. The Élysée says leaders will reaffirm “their determination to increase pressure on Russia” and continue coordinating measures aimed at drying up the resources funding Russia’s war effort, including the fight against the “shadow fleet” Moscow uses to circumvent oil sanctions. The meeting is also meant to advance work on security guarantees intended to underpin a “just, robust and lasting” peace, building on the Paris Declaration of January 6, 2026.

On the Ground, Moscow Prepares a New Mobilization

The meeting comes as the war enters a phase of intensification. Volodymyr Zelensky said this weekend that Russia plans to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops for the Ukrainian front after Russia’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for September 16-20, with a longer-term goal of recruiting 500,000. The Ukrainian president described a “peripheral mobilization” that would spare Russia’s major cities but, he said, would be hard to conceal. He also cited a Russian goal of producing roughly 1,300 ballistic missiles a year, while Ukraine expects to receive only 264 interceptor missiles this year, down from 364 in 2025 and 675 in 2023 — a shortfall Kyiv is trying to offset through new agreements, including delivery of at least one SAMP/T air-defense system from France and roughly 600 missiles from Germany.
These statements echo converging battlefield reports. Recent military bulletins point to intense fighting on the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Dobropillya fronts and in Dnipropetrovsk region, along with exchanges of soldiers’ remains between the two sides. This information comes from both Ukrainian and Russian sources, whose respective figures cannot be independently verified and should be treated with caution.

BACKGROUND

Formed in March 2025 at the initiative of Czech President Petr Pavel, and later organized under French and British leadership, the Coalition of the Willing brings together roughly thirty countries supporting Kyiv. It notably held a summit in Paris on July 13, 2026, on the eve of the Bastille Day parade, building on the G7 summit in Évian and the Paris Declaration of January 6, 2026.

Zelensky Rules Out Elections That Would “Destroy the Country”

On the domestic front, Volodymyr Zelensky responded for the first time to the call for elections made last week by his former defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed in late July amid vocal protests. In remarks made Saturday and released Sunday, the Ukrainian president said holding a wartime vote, absent a major cessation of hostilities, would “destroy the country by splitting society,” calling the prospect a “tsunami.” Ukrainian law bars elections under martial law, in effect since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022; Mr. Zelensky’s presidential term technically expired in May 2024.
Mr. Zelensky pointed to the practical hurdles such a vote would have to overcome — including how to enable voting by mobilized troops, millions of refugees abroad, and residents of Russian-occupied territory. According to an analysis by CNN, an incomplete or contested vote would hand Moscow a propaganda win, since the Kremlin already cites the wartime ban on elections to question the Ukrainian president’s legitimacy, even as Russia’s own electoral process is not considered free by Western observers. Polling suggests former armed forces commander Valery Zaluzhny or Mr. Fedorov himself would be the frontrunners in any eventual election.

Two Fronts for Kyiv: Military and Political

The convergence of these two issues — international military support and the debate over the democratic legitimacy of Ukraine’s leadership in wartime — casts Monday’s meeting in a particular light. For the Western leaders gathered around Emmanuel Macron, the goal is to demonstrate the durability of their commitment at a moment when Moscow is betting on wearing Kyiv down before winter, and when the question of security guarantees still has no concrete bearing on any ceasefire.

L’article Ukraine : Macron, Merz and Burnham Close Ranks as Russia Steps Up the War est apparu en premier sur FrenchDailyNews.

address-to-the-armed-forces (Elysée)

 France’s highest administrative court reinstated a mandatory QR code requirement Tuesday for members of the public attending the country’s annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Élysées, reversing a lower court ruling only hours before the event.

The Council of State, France’s top administrative court, said the security measures were justified given the exceptional circumstances surrounding this year’s celebration, which includes the attendance of dozens of foreign leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The decision restores a security system requiring spectators to obtain a personalized QR code issued by the French presidency and present government-issued identification before entering the secured viewing areas along the parade route.

Court Reverses Lower Ruling Overnight

The legal dispute unfolded in less than a day.

On Monday, the Paris Administrative Court sided with the civil liberties group Vigie Liberté, ruling that authorities could not require members of the public to obtain presidential authorization in the form of a personalized QR code to attend the event.

But shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday, the Council of State overturned that decision, concluding that suspending the security measures only hours before the parade would pose unacceptable risks.

The court found that the urgent legal procedure invoked by the plaintiffs—reserved for immediate threats to fundamental freedoms—did not outweigh the government’s responsibility to ensure public safety during one of France’s most sensitive security operations of the year.

Vigie Liberté President Amine Elbahi criticized the ruling but acknowledged the authority of the court.

“The rule of law also means accepting court decisions, even when they are not in our favor,” he said, adding that the organization intends to continue challenging the measure through other legal avenues.

Zelenskyy’s Attendance Raises Security Stakes

French officials have described this year’s Bastille Day celebration as one of the most sensitive in recent memory.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is among dozens of international leaders expected to attend ceremonies in Paris, dramatically increasing security requirements.

Authorities say the QR code system enables security services to verify the identity of every person entering the protected perimeter surrounding the Champs-Élysées, providing an additional layer of screening amid heightened concerns over terrorism, espionage, and geopolitical tensions linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nuñez welcomed the court’s decision, saying it would help manage crowd access while maintaining strict security standards.

Bastille Day Parade Highlights France’s Military Buildup

Beyond its ceremonial importance, the 2026 Bastille Day parade is designed to showcase France’s expanding military capabilities and Europe’s growing defense cooperation.

President Emmanuel Macron has dedicated the event to what his office describes as France’s “strategic rearmament” and Europe’s renewed commitment to collective security.

Nearly 6,800 service members will participate—the largest contingent ever assembled for the annual parade.

Military equipment on display will include approximately 300 armored and support vehicles and 130 aircraft, roughly 30% more than last year’s event.

The parade will also feature troops from the Coalition of the Willing, an international group led by France and the United Kingdom to coordinate military support for Ukraine. About 500 coalition troops are expected to lead the procession, accompanied by 25 Ukrainian soldiers marching under their national flag.

Aircraft from several NATO allies—including Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Norway, Greece, and Croatia—will participate in the flyover.

Symbolic Support for Ukraine

One of the parade’s most symbolic moments will feature two French Mirage fighter jets flown alongside Ukrainian military officers who completed flight training in France.

French officials say the demonstration reflects the country’s long-term commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities through training, military cooperation, and equipment transfers.

Army helicopters and armored vehicles will conduct tactical demonstrations inspired by modern battlefield operations, while approximately 60 military drones will highlight the increasing role of autonomous technologies in French defense planning.

For the first time during a Bastille Day parade, participating aircraft will carry mock weapons, underscoring the event’s emphasis on operational readiness rather than ceremonial display.

A New Security Model for Major Public Events

The Council of State’s ruling may establish an important legal precedent for future high-profile public events in France.

Government officials argue that personalized digital credentials are becoming an essential security tool whenever major international gatherings involve numerous heads of state or elevated security threats.

Civil liberties advocates warn that such measures could gradually normalize government tracking of attendees at public events, while French authorities maintain that the restrictions are narrowly tailored to extraordinary circumstances.

The debate reflects a broader challenge facing democracies worldwide: balancing individual freedoms with increasingly complex security demands in an era of international conflict and persistent terrorist threats.

L’article France Reinstates QR Code Requirement for Bastille Day Parade Amid Heightened Security est apparu en premier sur FrenchDailyNews.