Kyiv, Sep 5 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine has proposed to the US a new format for protecting Ukrainian airspace. "Ukraine has proposed a format for protecting our skies for the US to consider," Zelensky said on Thursday in a post on X after his conversation with US President Donald Trump, adding that they discussed ways to push toward real peace. According to Zelensky's press service, the conversation with Trump took place following a meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" in Paris, which was also attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte, and leaders of European countries. Speaking alongside Zelensky at a press conference following the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that 26 countries, mostly European, have formally pledged to deploy troops as part of a future Russian-Ukrainian ceasefire, though not directly on the front line, Xinhua news agency reported.Macron said the countries would contribute to a "reassurance force" that could deploy troops in Ukraine or provide support on land, at sea, or in the air. Zelensky welcomed the announcement as a "concrete" step forward and stressed that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whether bilateral or trilateral, is "necessary" for advancing peace efforts. Concerning the recent US approval of the sale of 3,350 air-launched Extended-Range Attack Munitions system missiles to Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the US move runs counter to its claimed willingness to resolve the conflict in Ukraine through diplomatic means.

Russia has repeatedly pointed out that military assistance to Ukraine will essentially only "prolong its suffering" and risk causing the conflict to spiral out of control, she added. The meetings in Paris come as the efforts to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia appear to be stalled. After meeting with Russian President Putin in Alaska last month, and days later with Zelensky and European leaders in Washington, Trump has pushed for a bilateral meeting between the Kremlin leaders and the Ukrainian President.

Putin has refused to commit to a meeting. On Wednesday, he questioned the purpose of such a huddle with the Ukrainian leader this week, but suggested it could take place in Moscow. During a recent interview, Trump cast doubt about the potential Putin-Zelenky meeting, but expressed more confidence in arranging a three-way huddle between the two Presidents and himself. "Something is going to happen, but they are not ready yet. But something is going to happen. We are going to get it done," the President said.

Zelensky said the officials during the meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" discussed each country's readiness to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine. "We coordinated positions and reviewed elements of security guarantees. I am grateful to everyone for understanding that the main security guarantee is a strong Ukrainian army," he added. "Support for Ukraine must be increased and pressure on Russia must be intensified," the Ukrainian leader said. "Preparations for the 19th EU sanctions package are underway. Japan is also working on sanctions measures."

/IANS