German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin that the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany will host a summit of the Coalition of the Willing with the participation of France and Great Britain in the coming weeks. According to Merz, the upcoming meeting will focus on three key areas: continued support for Ukraine, security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire, and the coordination of diplomatic efforts by European partners. The statement was made on November 3, 2026, during Zelenskyy's working visit to Berlin.
Three Working Areas of the Summit
As Merz specified, the first area of work will concern mechanisms for further supporting Ukraine: partners must agree on how to coordinate aid to the country in the subsequent period. The second area is security guarantees. «We will reaffirm our readiness to provide Ukraine with security guarantees after a ceasefire,» the Chancellor stated. The third area is related to diplomacy: European members of the Coalition plan to continue coordinating their actions to facilitate the end of the conflict.
Military Exercises in Poland as an Element of Peaceful Settlement
Separately, Merz recalled that the Coalition of the Willing has planned military exercises on the territory of Poland, which are scheduled to begin in the coming days. The Chancellor emphasized that these exercises «will become an important component of a peaceful settlement.» Thus, military training is viewed by Berlin not as an escalation, but as an instrument for ensuring security within the framework of a potential ceasefire.
Signal to Russia and Diplomatic Context
Summarizing, Merz sent a direct message to Moscow: «Our signal to Russia is clear — it is time to put an end to this war.» The Chancellor's statement came against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations and diplomatic contacts between European capitals. Earlier, according to DPA agency, Merz put forward the idea of holding another meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Berlin before the end of the year, and the British side reacted positively to the initiative. During his visit to Kyiv, the Chancellor also announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth one billion euros.
Zelenskyy's Working Visit to Berlin
On November 3, the President of Ukraine arrived in Berlin along with the Ukrainian delegation. The visit program includes meetings with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the President of the FRG, and the President of the Bundestag, as well as participation in the Berlin Security Conference. The joint press conference of Merz and Zelenskyy became the central event of the day, outlining the parameters of the upcoming Coalition of the Willing summit and confirming the course toward further coordination of European partners' actions in support of Ukraine.
