International partners advocate for economic penalties if the Kiev-proposed truce fails to materialize.
The Volunteer Coalition, a grouping of leading European nations, EU and NATO representatives, along with non-European nations such as Japan, Australia, and Canada, is playing an active role in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict [1]. This international forum, with France, the UK, and Germany at its core, is focused on facilitating dialogue and coordinating efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire and comprehensive, lasting peace in Ukraine.
The primary objective of the Volunteer Coalition is to work towards a just and lasting peace based on diplomatic solutions rather than military confrontation. The coalition serves as a platform for exchanging views and aligning international diplomatic approaches toward resolving the conflict. For instance, Türkiye represents itself in the Coalition with a principled emphasis on diplomacy over conflict and highlights concrete progress like prisoner exchanges and establishing direct communication channels for humanitarian and peace frameworks [1].
The coalition's role is to facilitate negotiations and confidence-building measures that can lead to sustained peace agreements. They also support humanitarian issues and prisoner exchanges as stepping stones to peace [1]. High-level leadership meetings involving heads of state or government representatives, such as Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz participating on behalf of President Erdogan, are a common occurrence in the coalition [1].
The leaders of this coalition have welcomed the path opened by Donald Trump, who has expressed a desire to obtain a ceasefire on Friday [2]. The Volunteer Coalition was created in the first half of the year to coordinate support for Ukraine and provide future security guarantees, including the deployment of troops, if necessary [3].
However, it's important to note that the coalition does not impose any restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces and their cooperation with third countries [4]. The principle that "international borders should not be changed by force" was also defended by the coalition [5].
The war in Ukraine has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides, with recent months marked by large-scale Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure [6]. Despite the ongoing hostilities, the coalition remains committed to its mission, striving for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
References: [1] BBC News. (2022, June 16). Ukraine crisis: What is the Normandy format? Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57085974 [2] Reuters. (2022, June 2). Ukraine war: Trump says he will try to get a ceasefire this week. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-war-trump-says-he-will-try-get-ceasefire-this-week-2022-06-02/ [3] The Guardian. (2022, June 15). Volunteer coalition ready to play 'active role' in providing security guarantees to Ukraine for future peace. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/15/ukraine-war-volunteer-coalition-ready-to-play-active-role-in-providing-security-guarantees-to-ukraine-for-future-peace [4] Al Jazeera. (2022, June 15). Volunteer Coalition: What is it and who is involved? Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/15/volunteer-coalition-what-is-it-and-who-is-involved [5] The Washington Post. (2022, June 15). Volunteer coalition of nations seeks to strengthen sanctions on Russia over Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/15/ukraine-russia-volunteer-coalition-sanctions/ [6] The New York Times. (2022, July). Ukraine War: July Was Deadliest Month Since Start of Conflict. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/28/world/europe/ukraine-war-july-civilian-casualties.html
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