Lithuanian president to attend Paris talks on Ukraine security guarantees

VILNIUS - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is heading to Paris on Tuesday for talks with European and allied leaders on military support and security guarantees for Ukraine.

The meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing is being convened by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Nauseda's office said.

More than 30 European and other countries' leaders have been invited to the talks, which aim to advance a plan that Kyiv says is 90 percent ready.

Security advisers from 15 countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Germany, as well as representatives from NATO and the European Union, held a preparatory meeting in Kyiv over the weekend to discuss key security guarantees, the peace plan and further joint steps.

After the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said any future security guarantees must include the physical presence of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory, stressing that French and British forces were essential to ensuring peace.

Zelensky said any peace plan must be signed by Ukraine, Russia, Europe and the United States.

The Ukrainian president is also expected to attend the Paris meeting on Tuesday.