UK and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to Ukraine in the event that a Peace Agreement is Reached

The British and French governments have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of military forces in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be made with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has declared.

After talks with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he indicated that the allies would "set up operational bases across Ukraine and erect fortified installations for weapons and defense matériel" to prevent any subsequent attack.

The partner countries also proposed that the America would play the primary role in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not issued a statement on this latest declaration.

The Situation and Ongoing War

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia currently occupies about 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated Starmer.

Top officials and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the Paris negotiations.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Starmer noted: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The PM added that Britain would take part in any US-led verification of a potential truce.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "durable security guarantees and robust prosperity commitments are critical to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a central condition made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff noted the partner nations had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such assurances "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends forever."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, US President Donald Trump's advisor, also was involved in the negotiations.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's supporters had made "major progress" at the talks.

He said that "comprehensive" safety pledges for Kyiv had been reached in the case of a possible truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major development" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they resulted in the conclusion of the war.

Last week, he indicated a peace deal was "90% ready". Finalizing the last 10% would "determine the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Land and security guarantees have been at the heart of ongoing disputes for the parties involved.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing any concession over how to conclude the war.
• Zelensky has so far rejected giving up any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces presently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The two regions form the heartland of Donbas.

The original US-led comprehensive proposal that was extensively reported 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 high-level negotiations – with all sides trying to adjust the proposal.

Recently, Kyiv sent the US an new 20-point plan – as well as additional documents outlining possible defense assurances and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, the President stated.