UK and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to the Country if a Peace Agreement is Finalized

The British and French governments have formalized a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of armed personnel in Ukraine should a peace agreement be concluded with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced.

Following negotiations with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he said that the UK and France would "create operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and build protected facilities for arms and military equipment" to deter any subsequent incursion.

The coalition members also put forward that the United States would assume leadership in monitoring a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has consistently stated that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet responded on this new development.

Context and Ongoing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia at this time occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our vow to support Ukraine for the duration," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

Top officials and top officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, Starmer added: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the future."

The PM added that London would take part in any Washington-directed verification of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term defense assurances and strong prosperity commitments are essential to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a central demand made by Kyiv.

The negotiator indicated the allies had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such pledges "to ensure the citizens of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the discussions.

At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "major headway" at the negotiations.

He added that "strong" defense assurances for Ukraine had been reached in the event of a prospective truce.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "huge advance" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they led to the end of the conflict.

Earlier, Zelensky suggested a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Finalizing the remaining 10% would "shape the fate of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the forefront of ongoing disputes for negotiators.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, refusing any compromise over how to finish the war.
• Kyiv has thus far excluded ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia presently holds about 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The two regions form the heartland of Donbas.

The initial US-led multi-point proposal that was extensively reported to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its European allies as being heavily skewed in Moscow's direction.

This led to weeks of intensive negotiations – with all sides trying to adjust the draft.

Recently, Ukraine sent the US an revised framework – as well as separate documents detailing potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, he stated.