Ukraine proposes new format for protecting skies: Zelensky

KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that Ukraine has proposed to the United States a new format for protecting Ukrainian airspace.

"Ukraine has proposed a format for protecting our skies for the US to consider," Zelensky said 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 Organization (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 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.

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 Thursday 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.