Some leaders, including Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, are participating digitally. But many, including the hosts President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, are on site.
Like Zelenskyj, Finland's President Alexander Stubb came directly from Wednesday's Nordic-Baltic meeting in Copenhagen. They even traveled together – according to the Finnish presidential staff, Stubb got a ride with Zelenskyj's presidential plane.
Images being spread on social media show how Stubb has skipped the suit in favor of the more casual style that is Zelenskyj's signature – a move that is interpreted as Finland wanting to further mark its support for Ukraine's leadership.
"Individual country"
The meeting is expected to discuss, among other things, plans for potential peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Russia has said that it cannot tolerate EU soldiers being sent, something that the NATO chief is now reacting to.
Why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? It's an individual country. It's not up to them to decide, said Rutte according to AFP during a visit to Prague, where he warns the world against giving the Russian leader Vladimir Putin too much leeway.
"Up to them"
If Ukraine wants security guarantees in the form of soldiers in Ukraine to support a peace agreement, then it's up to them. No one else can make that decision.
The statement came hours before the Paris meeting, which is being held within what has become known as the "Coalition of the Willing", a group of countries that are cooperating on support for Ukraine.
The agenda includes primarily security guarantees for Ukraine, which are intended to come into force in the event of a peace agreement regarding the full-scale Russian war of aggression that broke out in February 2022.
Ukraine has, among other things, requested support in the form of soldiers on the ground from its Western allies in the event of a peace agreement, in order to prevent future Russian aggression. Zelenskyj has previously said that such security guarantees are a prerequisite for a meeting between him and Putin.
After the meeting in Paris, Zelenskyj and US President Donald Trump, who has made attempts to broker peace, will talk on the phone.
