Macron, Burnham and Merz to co-chair Ukraine coalition meeting

French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are set to co-chair a hybrid meeting of the Coalition of the Willing on Monday, aimed at bolstering assistance to Ukraine and tightening pressure on Russia. The gathering, which will also include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, comes days after a Russian drone attack on a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih killed at least 16 people and injured more than 120.

Macron announced that France will supply additional interceptor missiles to Kyiv, while Burnham, on his first foreign trip as prime minister, is expected to meet Zelenskyy in Kyiv. The United Kingdom has agreed to allow defense firm MBDA to share classified details on British components of the SCALP long-range missile to facilitate local assembly in Ukraine.

"By systematically targeting civilians, and by choosing intimidation and escalation, Russia is likely seeking to project strength but is above all revealing an admission of weakness," Macron wrote on X, adding that it is essential for all capable countries to provide the means for Ukraine to defend its skies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by accusing the United Kingdom of joining the war against Russia and hindering peace efforts. The meeting, timed with the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, will examine ways to increase support for Kyiv, curb Russia’s war resources and counter Moscow’s shadow fleet. It follows the first session of the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition held in Paris on July 13.