U.S. joins “Coalition of the Willing” for the first time amid escalating Russian drone threat
- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington.
- Zelensky stresses urgency of scaling up air defense amid threats of mass drone attacks by Russia.
- Ukraine proposes joint weapons production and a large defense package with U.S. and Europe.
- Graham and Blumenthal introduce legislation targeting Russia and its wartime backers with new sanctions.
- This marks the first U.S. participation in the “Coalition of the Willing” supporting Ukraine’s recovery and defense.
What happened
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a key meeting with U.S. Senators @LindseyGrahamSC and @SenBlumenthal on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference, thanking them for their active role in rallying international support and their participation in the newly-formed Coalition of the Willing.
“It is important that the United States joined this format – for the first time,” Zelensky posted on X (formerly Twitter) after the meeting.
Why it matters
Zelensky warned that Russia is preparing to launch drone swarms of up to 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in future attacks. To counter this, Ukraine is seeking significant support to bolster its air defense, especially through investments in interceptor drones.
The Ukrainian leader also emphasized the urgency of:
- Sustained U.S. weapons deliveries, and
- Expanding joint arms production, including multilateral defense procurement with Europe.
The big picture
Zelensky’s appeal comes amid renewed fears of escalated Russian offensives and a shifting focus in U.S. and European security cooperation. His proposal includes a large-scale defense package that could unify U.S. and European defense capabilities for Ukraine.
Between the lines
The meeting also served to align political pressure tools. Senators Graham and Blumenthal have introduced a bill proposing harsher sanctions on Russia and its supporters, targeting financial and strategic networks fueling the war.
“Without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty,” Zelensky wrote.
What they’re saying
In his official post on X, Zelensky concluded:
“Thank you for the meeting and for working together in the name of peace and security.”
I had a good meeting with U.S. Senators @LindseyGrahamSC and @SenBlumenthal. I’m grateful for their participation in the Ukraine Recovery Conference, as well as in the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. It is important that the United States joined this format – for the… pic.twitter.com/SmAdgSbznM
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 10, 2025
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