The United Kingdom announced Thursday that Paris will serve as the headquarters for a new international coordination body—informally dubbed the “coalition of the willing”—tasked with supporting Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.

The announcement comes on the heels of French President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day state visit to the UK, where both nations renewed their long-term commitment to Ukraine’s defense and post-war recovery. British officials emphasized that ceasefire planning should proceed “on an enduring, business-as-usual footing,” to enable swift deployment of a multinational support force the moment active hostilities end.

As part of the initiative, Macron and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined a virtual meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key international stakeholders, including U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Gen. Keith Kellogg, and Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal.

According to a joint statement, the Paris-based command center will be co-led by Britain and France for the first 12 months, overseeing operational logistics and tactical coordination for the coalition’s mission. Leadership will then rotate to London. A permanent coordination cell is also being planned in Kyiv to ensure on-the-ground continuity.

The new structure highlights a strategic shift among Ukraine’s Western allies—from a wartime posture to proactive planning for long-term stability, reconstruction, and territorial security.

“The end of combat is only the beginning of peacebuilding,” a senior UK defense official noted. “This coalition is designed to ensure Ukraine has the backing it needs well beyond the battlefield.”