European leaders and NATO’s chief have pledged to tighten sanctions on Russia and speed up the delivery of long-range strike and air-defence weapons to Ukraine, following a Coalition of the Willing meeting in London. The group said it would work to take Russian oil and gas off the global market and to channel frozen Russian assets into Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.
The meeting, co-chaired by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, brought together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and around 40 participants, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the Netherlands’ Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Other leaders joined online.
What happened in London
The leaders held a joint press conference after the talks, where they set out a shared position: economic pressure on Moscow should increase, not ease, until a just and lasting peace is secured. Starmer said Britain had taken the lead in fully sanctioning Russian oil and gas, followed by the United States and the European Union.
Zelenskyy told the meeting that four priorities dominated the discussion: air defence, energy, sanctions and long-range capabilities. He argued that Russia had made no real gains on the front line and had instead turned to attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure, a pattern he described as terror aimed at breaking Ukraine’s resilience.
The Ukrainian delegation also briefed partners on the damage to the country’s energy system and the help needed to restore it before winter. Ukraine will need gas imports this winter, Zelenskyy said, because Russia continues to target energy facilities, and Kyiv is already working with Norway on the issue.
Sanctions and frozen Russian assets
Sanctions were the sharpest economic message to come out of London. The leaders said they would take further steps to end remaining imports of Russian oil and gas into their own territories and to discourage other countries from trading in Russian energy in ways that fund the war.
The week had already seen a sequence of moves in that direction. The United States Treasury announced sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, in an effort to press Moscow toward an immediate ceasefire. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU member states had approved the bloc’s 19th round of sanctions against Russia, which targets the country’s natural gas sector for the first time.
In London, the leaders also discussed using the full value of frozen Russian sovereign assets to meet Ukraine’s urgent financial needs for 2026 and 2027. The idea is that the money would give Kyiv the resources to defend its territory and rebuild its armed forces, on top of existing bilateral military aid, which leaders said would not be reduced. No final deal was announced, and the question of how to use the assets has previously divided European governments, with concerns raised in Belgium, where a large share of Russia’s central bank reserves are held.
Zelenskyy welcomed the American sanctions and thanked Britain, the European Union, Canada and Japan for their own measures. He argued that pressure on Russian oil is an instrument to end the war and called for all major Russian oil companies, including Rosneft, Lukoil and Surgutneftegas, to be blocked.
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, responded to the new American sanctions by saying they would not significantly affect Russia’s economic health, calling them an attempt to put pressure on Russia and unfriendly to relations with the United States. He also said Russia had always supported continued dialogue, while commenting that the planned meeting with US President Donald Trump had been cancelled.
Long-range weapons and air defence
On weapons, Britain announced plans to supply Ukraine with more than 5,000 lightweight multirole missiles, with 140 delivered ahead of schedule, according to reports of the meeting. Starmer told Zelenskyy that Western allies could do more on capability, particularly long-range capability, and on the security guarantees that the coalition is preparing.
Zelenskyy said the issues of Tomahawk, Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles, and joint production of drones and missiles, are vital. He argued that Putin had shown readiness to resume talks when he felt pressure and the possibility of Tomahawks appearing in Ukraine, but abandoned diplomacy once that pressure eased.
Air defence was linked directly to the coming winter. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is discussing an agreement with the United States on buying the Patriot systems it needs, and pointed to air-defence systems already in Europe that are on standby. Those systems, he said, could be used now to protect lives rather than waiting in a queue.
Why it matters
The London meeting matters for three reasons. First, it ties military aid, sanctions and energy policy together into a single pressure strategy, rather than treating them as separate announcements. Second, it puts the frozen-assets question at the centre of Ukraine’s funding for the next two years, which is the period Kyiv’s partners say will decide whether Ukraine can hold its position through another winter of war. Third, it keeps the coalition’s post-war planning alive: leaders reaffirmed their determination to build robust security arrangements so Ukraine can deter and defend against any future attack, including plans for a multinational force to be deployed once hostilities cease, helping to secure Ukraine’s airspace and seas and to replenish its armed forces.
The backdrop underlines why the leaders framed the moment as urgent. In Kyiv, one person was killed and 10 others were injured in Russian strikes on the capital overnight, according to the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko. The attack sparked fires in several areas, shattered windows in residential buildings and damaged a kindergarten in the eastern part of the city.
What happens next
Several questions remain open. The frozen-assets plan still needs agreement among European governments, and EU leaders have so far stopped short of endorsing a giant loan backed by those assets. The long-range weapons debate also continues, with the United States still considering whether to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, according to NATO’s chief.
Zelenskyy said he is ready to meet in any meaningful format and that the current line of contact could be the starting point for real negotiations. He stressed, however, that territorial integrity must not be traded away and that any alleged exchange of land must not reward the aggressor or encourage future aggression.
The coalition’s teams are now expected to finalise work on the future framework for security guarantees, including initiatives on air defence, energy support and capability coalitions. Whether the pledges made in London turn into deliveries before winter will be the test of the meeting.
Read more in our World section for continuing coverage of the war in Ukraine and its global impact.
Timeline
- Earlier in the week: The United States announces sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two largest oil producers.
- Before the London meeting: EU member states approve the bloc’s 19th sanctions round against Russia, targeting the natural gas sector for the first time.
- London meeting: Starmer and Macron co-chair the Coalition of the Willing talks with Zelenskyy and around 40 participants; leaders vow tougher sanctions, faster long-range weapons and progress on frozen assets.
- Overnight after the meeting: Russian strikes on Kyiv kill one person and injure 10 others, damaging residential buildings and a kindergarten.
- Next: Coalition teams work on the security-guarantee framework and the frozen-assets funding plan for 2026 and 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Coalition of the Willing?
It is a group of Ukraine’s allies, led by Britain and France, that coordinates military support, sanctions and post-war security guarantees for Ukraine. It includes European leaders, NATO’s secretary general and partners such as Canada and Japan.
What did the London meeting decide?
Leaders pledged to increase economic pressure on Russia, take Russian oil and gas off the global market, speed up long-range and air-defence weapons for Ukraine, and work on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.
What are frozen Russian assets?
They are Russian sovereign assets immobilised in Western financial systems since the full-scale invasion. Ukraine’s partners are discussing using their full value to fund Kyiv’s defence and reconstruction, though the legal and political details are still under negotiation.
Why is Ukraine’s energy infrastructure a priority now?
Russia has repeatedly attacked energy and gas facilities, and winter increases the risk of blackouts. Air defence, repairs and gas imports are therefore central to keeping homes, hospitals and essential services running.
What happens next for Ukraine?
Coalition teams will finalise the security-guarantee framework, governments will continue negotiating the frozen-assets plan, and deliveries of missiles and air-defence systems will be watched closely ahead of winter.