UK and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to the Country if a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The British and French governments have inked a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of armed personnel in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be concluded with Russia, the British leader, Starmer, has stated.

Subsequent to talks with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he noted that the UK and France would "create military hubs across Ukraine and construct protected facilities for arms and defense matériel" to prevent any subsequent incursion.

The partner countries also suggested that the United States would play the primary role in overseeing a halt in hostilities.

The Kremlin has consistently cautioned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has as yet not responded on this latest announcement.

Background and Ongoing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia at this time controls about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the duration," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

Top officials and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the recent discussions.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, Starmer further said: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the years ahead."

The UK prime minister added that London would take part in any US-led confirmation of a potential ceasefire.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "lasting defense assurances and robust prosperity commitments are essential to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a key demand made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff indicated the coalition had "largely finished" their work on agreeing such pledges "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends for good."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "major advances" at the meeting.

He said that "comprehensive" security guarantees for Kyiv had been reached in the event of a potential ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "huge development" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they led to the conclusion of the fighting.

Earlier, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Finalizing the last 10% would "decide the fate of the peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• Moscow has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, dismissing any concession over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has thus far ruled out giving up any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russian forces presently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The areas form the area of Donbas.

The earlier US-led comprehensive peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being heavily skewed in Moscow's favor.

This sparked a period of focused discussions – with all sides trying to amend the proposal.

The previous month, Kyiv sent the US an updated 20-point plan – as well as additional documents detailing prospective security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's reconstruction, he stated.