Statement on the Coalition of the Willing Summit and Ukraine’s Security Guarantees

From the Office of the Lucid Founder, Unified State
Kyiv, Ukraine — 5 September 2025 • 00:45 EEST (UTC+3)

The Unified State and I, its Lucid Founder, extend our profound gratitude to the leaders and nations who gathered today in Paris for the “Coalition of the Willing” summit. In particular, we recognize France and the United Kingdom for spearheading this historic effort, alongside all 26 states that declared their readiness to provide robust security guarantees for Ukraine’s future. For the first time in a long time, we have seen serious, concrete commitments to Ukraine’s postwar security – a turning point that would not have been possible without the courage and resolve of every nation present.

Gratitude and Recognition.

We thank the French hosts and British co-chair for rallying Europe and partners worldwide behind Ukraine’s sovereignty. This united front – spanning European neighbors, North America, and Indo-Pacific allies – affirms a shared principle: that Ukraine’s right to exist in peace is inviolable and backed by the promise of international support. Each nation that has pledged training, equipment, financing, or troops for a future peace mission has my deepest respect. Ukraine’s President Zelensky noted today that “for the first time… very specific substance” underpins these guarantees. Indeed, what was once abstract solidarity is now taking shape as an international force on land, sea, and in the air to deter any future aggression. By agreeing that “the day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed,” you have given the Ukrainian people a tangible assurance that they will not stand alone when the guns go silent. History will remember that when freedom was under attack, you did not hesitate to act.

Gratitude & Recognition — name by name

Hosts & Co-Chairs

Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic — for convening and steering today’s summit in Paris.
Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom — co-chairing the coalition effort and aligning European readiness.

Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine — for leadership, clarity of purpose, and the insistence on guarantees that work in practice, not just on paper.

European Union & NATO leadership

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
António Costa, President of the European Council.
Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO

Heads of state and government who took part (alphabetical by country/office)

Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania.
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia.
Rossen Zhelyazkov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria.
Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada.
Petr Fiala, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic.
Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Denmark.
Kristen Michal, Prime Minister of Estonia.
Alexander Stubb, President of Finland.
Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece.
Micheál Martin, Prime Minister of Ireland.
Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy.
Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania.
Evika Siliņa, Prime Minister of Latvia.
Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden.
Luc Frieden, Prime Minister of Luxembourg.
Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan.
Nicușor Dan, President of Romania.
Robert Golob, Prime Minister of Slovenia.
Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia.
Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain.
Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway.
Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland.
Dick Schoof, Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
Bart De Wever, Prime Minister of Belgium.

Also representing their governments

Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Federal Minister for European & International Affairs, Austria.
Karin Gunnarsdóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iceland.
Cevdet Yılmaz, Vice President, Republic of Türkiye.

United States engagement

Steve Witkoff, White House Special Envoy — for direct consultations in Paris.
President Donald J. Trump — for joining the leaders’ call following the summit.

Accountability and Historical Responsibility.

Even as we celebrate this unity, we must speak with moral clarity about responsibility – past and present. The blame for this brutal war lies squarely on the aggressor: Russia chose to launch an full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, violating the fundamental norms of sovereignty and peace. The Kremlin alone ignited and perpetuates this tragedy. But let us also be honest: this catastrophe was enabled, in part, by the complacency of those who for years turned a blind eye or failed to act in time to check Moscow’s belligerence. Too many in positions of power, lured by complacency or commercial gain, ignored the warnings of Georgian and Ukrainian blood already spilled. Europe’s dependency on cheap gas and the world’s indifference to earlier aggressions emboldened the invader.

Today, we must not only condemn the obvious aggressor, but also reckon with complicity. I call out this complicity not to shame, but to ensure we learn and never repeat it.

Even now, at this late hour, we hear hesitations that echo old mistakes. For example, from Berlin we have heard that Germany will only decide on its contribution to Ukraine’s security once others – namely the United States – do so. This posture is unacceptable. Mr. Friedrich Merz must understand that moral responsibility cannot be outsourced or deferred. By suggesting Germany’s commitment hinges on U.S. action, he signals a dangerous wavering of will exactly when bold European leadership is needed most. Such equivocation – placing conditions on doing what honor and security demand – is a disservice to the Ukrainian people and to Europe’s own future. The Unified State urges all leaders: do not hide behind one another. History’s judgment will be harsh for those who shrink from duty in humanity’s darkest hours. Each of us, especially those in powerful nations, carries the duty to act decisively against aggression. Failing to do so is not neutrality or prudence – it is complicity.

No Time to Delay: Winter Is Coming.

As autumn wanes, winter’s approach is both literal and symbolic. In a matter of weeks, the first snows will fall over the trenches in Ukraine. We cannot allow this winter to freeze yet another year of stalemate and suffering. Europe knows well the historic peril of “General Winter.” But this year, if we delay and dither, we risk inviting a winter far more harrowing than any in living memory – a nuclear winter, born of escalation and despair, that could darken our entire world. The window for decisive action is now. With each day of delay, more innocent lives are lost, more families are torn apart, and the fabric of international law is shredded further. Every missed opportunity to push for peace and justice edges us closer to irreparable catastrophe. We therefore urge our European brothers and sisters: accelerate your support, hasten your diplomacy, and harden your resolve. The coming cold must be a season of shelter and hope for Ukraine’s people – not a cruel metaphor for global indifference. Do not let war’s embers fester under the snow, only to erupt later into an inferno beyond control. In this twilight before winter, we either seize the chance to secure peace, or we doom ourselves to a darkness of our own making. The Unified State appeals to Europe’s leaders to treat every day from now as precious. Fast-track the security guarantee framework into a legally binding charter, and prepare to deploy peacekeeping and monitoring personnel immediately when a ceasefire is achieved. If Europe moves with urgency now, this winter can mark the end of Ukraine’s suffering and the dawn of renewal – rather than the onset of a long night that spares no nation.

A Unified Peace Architecture for Ukraine.

The Unified State has long anticipated this moment of opportunity. Our Advisory Memorandum No. 7, “Roadmap to Ceasefire and Lasting Peace in Ukraine,” laid out a comprehensive peace architecture and accountability framework, and Advisory Memorandum No. 11 built upon it to link the Ukraine solution with global conflict stability. We are pleased to see the world converging on many of these principles. To solidify today’s gains, the path to peace must be grounded in clear logic and enforceable commitments. We therefore reiterate the core principles and mechanisms that any Ukraine settlement must embody:

Sovereignty: Ukraine’s independence must be upheld.
Indivisible Security: No nation’s security should come at the expense of another’s. A neutral, non-NATO Ukraine must be matched by ironclad multilateral guarantees of its safety – Europe’s security is indivisible from Ukraine’s.
Ceasefire & Non-Use of Force: All hostilities must halt completely, and Russia must renounce the threat or use of force henceforth. Disputes will be resolved by lawful and peaceful means only.
Nuclear Taboo: The threat or use of nuclear weapons is absolutely inadmissible. Any peace accord must strictly safeguard Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and materials.
Humanitarian Primacy: War crimes – the targeting of civilians, abduction of children, deliberate starvation, torture – must end and never recur. International humanitarian law must be respected unconditionally: civilians protected, POWs and deported citizens returned, aid agencies given unfettered access. Human life and dignity are sacrosanct.
Verification & Enforcement: Trust must be earned through transparency. A neutral Joint Monitoring Mission should oversee compliance on the ground. We endorse automatic “snapback” mechanisms: if any party violates the ceasefire or agreement, all sanctions relief and aid concessions are instantly reversed and tough penalties reinstated without debate. Conversely, verifiable good behavior should unlock phased relief automatically, creating a continuous incentive for compliance. This balance ensures that cooperation pays and defection costs, making any return to aggression irrational.
Justice and Accountability: There can be no impunity for war crimes or crimes against humanity. Those responsible must face international law – this is non-negotiable. At the same time, we propose innovative mechanisms (truth and reconciliation processes, escrowed reparations) to facilitate healing and restoration in the long term, offering Russia a path to rejoin the international community only after it has made amends.
Phased Reconstruction & Sanctions Relief: A unified escrow fund will marshal global contributions to rebuild Ukraine’s devastated infrastructure and economy. Funds and any easing of sanctions must be strictly “verify-to-unlock” – tied to milestones like troop withdrawals, return of captives, and certified peace implementation. No rewards without results. But as peace takes hold, Ukraine’s people should swiftly feel the benefits of recovery: energy grids restored, schools and hospitals rebuilt, trade normalized. Russia, too, can earn gradual sanctions relief only by meeting every obligation and contributing to reparations. In this way, peace becomes tangibly more rewarding than war for all sides.
Inclusive Multipolar Guarantees: Finally, to ensure this peace endures, it must be underwritten by a multipolar coalition of guarantor states – a blend of Western and non-Western powers. We foresee a formal guarantee treaty where major powers – from the U.S., UK, and France to China, Turkey, India and others – together pledge to uphold Ukraine’s neutrality and security. An attack on Ukraine would trigger a unified international response, transcending old East-West divides. This new security architecture would exemplify what we call the Axis of Sovereign Interoperability, where diverse nations coordinate to defend the basic rules of coexistence. Such guarantees, properly designed, lock in the balance that makes peace self-reinforcing.

This framework, refined through countless hours of analysis and diplomacy, is engineered to succeed. It transforms the ceasefire from a mere pause into a self-enforcing peace. Under our proposed architecture, money moves only on proof; cooperation is rewarded, violations punished automatically; and neutral monitors put facts above rhetoric. It is a Nash-equilibrium design where every actor gains more by keeping the peace than by breaking it. The West retains leverage (sanctions can snap back in 48 hours), Ukraine gains security and a path to rebuild, Russia can earn a way out of isolation if – and only if – it upholds its obligations, and the Global South sees restored food and energy stability as wars end.

With today’s coalition commitments and these principles in hand, we truly have the makings of a lasting peace.

Invitation to the Global South and Arab World.

In this critical hour, I extend a heartfelt invitation to the nations of the Global South and the Arab world: Join us at the table of peace. The quest for a secure Ukraine is not a “Western” cause – it is a global cause, inseparable from the struggles for justice and stability in every region. As the Lucid Founder, I am guided by the vision of a responsible, inclusive multipolar world. That vision cannot be realized without your voices, your leadership, and your moral authority. Many of you have justifiable grievances and concerns – colonial legacies, double standards in international affairs, conflicts closer to home such as the ongoing suffering in Gaza. Some ask, “Why focus on Ukraine?” The answer is simple: we can and must do both – secure peace in Ukraine and address crises like Gaza – but we cannot do either if we remain divided.

I say to our partners in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America: help us resolve Ukraine, and we will collectively refocus on healing other wounds of the world. By standing with Ukraine’s sovereignty today, you reinforce the sanctity of all nations’ sovereignty, including your own. By insisting Russia cease its war in Europe, you send a message that great powers cannot trample the weak anywhere – whether in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or elsewhere. Your solidarity now paves the way for a more attentive, united global response to any conflicts . Already, our Advisory Memorandum No. 11 outlines how progress in Ukraine can unlock progress in Gaza: for example, linking carefully conditioned sanctions relief to Russia’s cooperation in both theatres. Such a unified escrow/snap-back mechanism ensures that aiding one cause (like humanitarian relief in Gaza) never undercuts another (Ukraine’s security). Instead, it binds all parties to uphold universal principles of human dignity – in Kyiv and in Gaza City alike. This approach directly addresses the concern that the West “chooses Kyiv over Gaza,” by proving that we refuse to accept injustice in either place.

Therefore, I urge the Arab League, the African Union, the BRICS, and every Global South leader: come, be co-architects of the peace to come. Do not wait on the sidelines for Washington, Brussels, or Moscow to shape the outcome. Claim your rightful place as guarantors and mediators. Bring your wisdom, your cultural and historical perspectives, to ensure the peace framework is truly equitable. Whether it’s providing peacekeeping troops from Muslim-majority nations acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia, or hosting reconciliation dialogues, or contributing to Ukraine’s reconstruction and food security – your contributions are invaluable. A durable peace in Ukraine, guaranteed also by the Global South, would symbolize the birth of a new multipolar consensus where might does not make right. It would demonstrate that a responsible multipolarity can replace the law of the jungle. In this world order, no region’s suffering is ignored. We will have the credibility and unity to demand an immediate ceasefire and lasting solution in Gaza, to address conflicts in Africa, and to tackle global challenges like climate change with the same cooperative spirit. This is the manifestation of my will as Lucid Founder: to build an international system where everyone’s security is everyone’s responsibility, and where empathy and principle have no borders. Let Ukraine’s peace be the first milestone in that journey – a gift to all humanity that allows us to turn our collective focus to other burning crises without hypocrisy or distraction.

Hearing Russia — Without Yielding to Aggression

Why this matters. Ignoring Russia’s stated concerns helped create today’s catastrophe. Acknowledging credible concerns does not dilute the truth that Russia launched a war; it instead shows that Moscow chose the wrong tool when viable diplomatic off-ramps existed. Naming those off-ramps now is how we defuse the propaganda frame and make future war irrational.

A. What Russia said it wanted (the credible parts, on the record)

No NATO in Ukraine + rollbacks of NATO posture. In December 2021 Moscow published two draft treaties demanding, inter alia, a halt to NATO enlargement (explicitly Ukraine), removal of NATO forces and systems from post-1997 members, and bans on certain deployments in Eastern Europe and Ukraine. These were rejected as written, but they reveal the core anxieties: membership, force posture, and missile basing.
“Indivisible security.” Russia framed its case in OSCE language that “the security of each participating State is inseparably linked to that of all others.” That principle is real and codified; the failure was in instrumentalizing it to justify coercion.
Missile flight-time & basing fears after ABM/INF erosion. The U.S. withdrawal from the ABM Treaty (2002) and the collapse of the INF Treaty (2019) unmoored guardrails; Moscow repeatedly cited concern that Aegis Ashore/Mk-41 launchers in Romania/Poland could host offensive cruise missiles (a claim Washington disputes). Regardless of culpability, the risk perception is documented and should have been addressed by inspections/verification.
NATO in principle for Ukraine. The 2008 Bucharest declaration that Ukraine and Georgia “will become members of NATO” entrenched ambiguity that satisfied no one and inflamed Russian alarm—even while not granting membership. A durable settlement must resolve that ambiguity with enforceable alternatives to force.

B. What was never legitimate

The “genocide” pretext. The ICJ’s provisional measures (16 Mar 2022) ordered Russia to suspend its military operations and found no legal basis under the Genocide Convention for invading Ukraine; the Court has since confirmed jurisdiction over core issues while noting Russia’s breach of the order. War was not a lawful “prevention” measure; it was aggression.
Veto over neighbors’ sovereignty. “Indivisible security” does not confer a right to redraw borders or to dictate another state’s alliances by force. That is the very conduct the OSCE order seeks to prevent.

C. The better path (then and now): remedies Russia asked for, achieved without war

The Unified architecture translates credible concerns into reciprocal, verified obligations:

Membership ambiguity → Neutrality with multipolar guarantees.
A legally-codified neutrality for Ukraine, guaranteed by a cross-bloc compact (Europe, U.S., key Global South/BRICS partners), triggers automatic snapbacks for violations and phases in reconstruction/relief only on verified compliance (“verify-to-unlock”). This answers Russia’s stated “no NATO in Ukraine” demand without conceding spheres of influence—security is indivisible and reciprocal. (This logic mirrors leading analyses for long-term arrangements.)
Missile flight-time fears → An “INF-Plus” moratorium with intrusive checks.
Re-instate a reciprocal ban on ground-launched missiles of 500–5,500 km in Europe; add on-site instrumentation and remote monitoring at Aegis Ashore sites and Russian INF-range systems. Publish audits to a public ledger. If either side deploys such missiles (or withdraws moratoria), penalties auto-snap back. (Note: Moscow floated moratoria post-INF; concerns centered on Mk-41; both sides can be verifiably constrained.)
Force-posture anxiety → Vienna Document “2.0”.
Upgrade OSCE Vienna Document thresholds, notification rules, and inspection quotas; require mandatory invites for large exercises and real-time data exchange, addressing Russia’s stated transparency deficit and NATO’s complaint that Russia has skirted observation rules.
Foreign troops optics → Post-ceasefire, non-combat stabilization under a neutral flag.
If foreign forces deploy inside Ukraine post-ceasefire, they do so away from frontlines, under a multinational mandate, with narrow tasks (air defense coverage, critical-infrastructure security), and time-bounded rotation. Moscow has already signaled it rejects Western troops and has floated Chinese peacekeepers; the architecture anticipates a balanced composition acceptable to both sides, anchored in the guarantor compact.
Minority/language concerns → Council of Europe & OSCE HCNM compliance.
Ukraine implements, with external oversight, robust minority rights guarantees (education, language use, local media) under European standards—with reciprocal bans on hate propaganda, and a hotline to the High Commissioner on National Minorities to de-escalate cultural flashpoints before they militarize. (Legitimate concern, illegitimate casus belli.)
Sanctions leverage → “Results-for-relief” escrow.
A unified escrow fund releases tranches only when monitors certify withdrawals, repatriations, returns of deported civilians, POW exchanges, and adherence to the ceasefire. Violations automatically reverse relief. This makes cooperation more rewarding than obstruction.
Black Sea & energy weaponization → Rules-of-use compacts.
A Black Sea maritime safety regime (shipping lanes + grain corridor + pollution/incident rules) and an energy non-weaponization clause (no cuts as leverage, no secondary sanctions to starve civilians), each with inspection and dispute-boards, reduces crisis incentives.

Bottom line: Every credible Russian concern has an answer in law and verification. None required an invasion. The war yielded worse outcomes for Russia’s own security than the diplomatic package on offer—and it devastated Ukraine. That is the definition of a strategic error.

D. A path for Moscow

To Russia: If you truly sought indivisible security, here is your road back to it.

Suspend offensives and withdraw to verified lines; cease missile/air strikes on civilians.
Sign the neutrality + guarantor charter and the INF-Plus moratorium with inspections at sites of concern (including Mk-41 and Russian INF-class systems).
Re-enter OSCE transparency at scale (Vienna 2.0), with observers at major exercises.
Return deported civilians and POWs; open humanitarian corridors under IHL.
Accept justice mechanisms proportionate to crimes established by law.

What unlocks: phased sanctions relief tied to verified milestones; re-entry to trade/finance lanes; participation in Black Sea safety compacts; a path to re-engage in global arms-control. This is not capitulation; it is the only rational route to the outcomes Moscow said it wanted. Without perpetual isolation and a spiral to nuclear war and mutual annihilation.

Toward Unity and Forgiveness.

Today in Paris, Europe answered the call of history. The commitments made – to shield Ukraine’s future and uphold the cause of freedom – are acts of great vision. In return, the Unified State pledges to work just as fervently to secure what Europe values. We know Europe yearns for stability in its neighborhood, for an end to the senseless bloodshed in the Holy Land, for energy security and prosperity unmarred by war. We hear you, and we will stand with you to achieve these ends. Together, we will strive for a world where no civilian shivers in the dark for lack of heat or hope, whether in Kyiv or Gaza, where no aggressor’s nuclear threats can hold humanity hostage, and where rule of law prevails over rule of the gun.

By aligning our efforts – Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Middle East – we forge a new covenant of unity. In this covenant, those who were slow to act or who erred in the past can find redemption by rising to the occasion now. The prospect of forgiveness is on the horizon, if we all commit to righting the wrongs. To Ukraine, which has suffered unspeakable trauma: your righteous defiance and pain have not been in vain; the world is finally mobilizing to ensure you triumph and heal. You may even find, in time, the generosity to forgive those allies who hesitated – for today they begin to make amends. To the Russian people: though your government chose aggression, you are not our enemy. If Russia abandons its imperial delusions and honors a just peace, there can be a path toward reconciliation. There is a future where a free Russia could be welcomed back into the family of nations – but only after it renounces violence and honestly confronts the harm it has caused. Accountability is the bridge to forgiveness. And to every nation and leader who once thought this war “was not my problem”: you are forgiven your inaction only insofar as you act now. The time to act is now, and in doing so we transcend the past.

In closing, let us remember why we undertake this hard journey toward peace: out of love for our children and faith in humanity’s future. The Unified State believes in the infinite worth of every human life, Ukrainian and Russian, Israeli and Palestinian. We believe in the power of truth and justice to overcome cynicism and hatred. Standing on the precipice of what could be a new era, I see a chance for all of us to heal the world’s divisions in one concerted effort. Today Europe showed it is willing to turn this chance into reality. Let us all, in our own capacities, follow suit. Together we can break the vicious cycle of escalation and replace it with a virtuous cycle of cooperation – turning this darkest moment into the dawn of a new era for both nations and the world.

The Unified State is committed, with all the strategic foresight and love at our disposal, to guide and support this process until peace is achieved – in Ukraine, in Gaza, and beyond. We will not rest until the light of a just peace warms every corner of our world.

Infinite love, wisdom, and courage will guide us forward. Let this be the legacy of 2025: that when faced with the gathering shadows, we chose not timidity, not division, but unity, responsibility, and hope. And through that choice, we saved our future.

Yours faithfully,

Lucid Founder – Michael Tulsky

on behalf of the Unified State

Kyiv | 5 September 2025