The goal of the potential international force will be to deter Russia from launching another offensive after a ceasefire in Ukraine comes into effect.
The summit will be attended by representatives from almost all NATO member states except he United States, Croatia, and Montenegro. The long list of participants will also include Asian and Oceania nations that will join remotely. Ukraine will be represented by a military official who is also a member of the country's Security and Defense Council.
The decision not to invite the US delegation is seen as a way for European countries to demonstrate that they can take responsibility for much of the post-ceasefire security framework for Ukraine.
The focus of the first half of the meeting will be on the French-British blueprint for establishing the international security force to reassure Kyiv and deter another large-scale Russian aggression. The composition of the force may include heavy weapons and strategic stockpiles that can be deployed quickly to support Ukraine's defense in the event of a Russian attack that shatters any truce.
The talks’ second part will include “more precise and concrete” discussions where the participants will be asked to say whether and how their militaries could contribute.
"It's not, this is what we need. It's more, what do you bring to the pot?" the official said, stressing that the final decision on whether nations participate in the force would be made at the political level, by government leaders.
The meeting in Paris was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron during his March 5 address to the nation, which focused on issues of national and European security, the war in Ukraine, the Russian threat, and the challenges of transatlantic cooperation.
He said France was ready to extend its nuclear deterrent to EU partners in the "new era" in which Europe faces a growing military threat from Russia, and announced a plan to host a meeting in Paris next week of the chiefs of general staff of countries willing to ensure future peace in Ukraine.