The United Kingdom and France to Deploy Troops to Ukraine in the event that a Peace Agreement is Reached

The UK and France have formalized a declaration of intent concerning the stationing of armed personnel in Ukraine should a peace agreement be made with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

Subsequent to discussions with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the allies would "set up operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and build protected facilities for military hardware and military equipment" to deter any future incursion.

The allied nations also proposed that the America would take the lead in verifying a ceasefire.

Russia has on multiple occasions cautioned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet issued a statement on this new development.

The Situation and Continuing Conflict

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin initiated a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces presently controls roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the long-term," commented the British leader.

Heads of state and high-ranking officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in the recent discussions.

He stated at a shared media briefing, the Prime Minister further said: "It paves the way for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The PM also stated that Britain would participate in any US-led verification of a prospective cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Top American diplomat Steve Witkoff stated that "durable defense assurances and strong reconstruction vows are critical to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a key condition made by the Ukrainian government.

He said the allies had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such pledges "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this war ends, it ends forever."

The former US envoy, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the discussions.

Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable progress" at the negotiations.

He added that "robust" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the event of a possible truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "huge development" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "sufficient" if they resulted in the cessation of the fighting.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader said a settlement was "largely prepared". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "decide the outcome of the agreement, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Territory and defense assurances have been at the center of key disagreements for negotiators.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, dismissing any middle ground over how to finish the war.
• Zelensky has thus far ruled out giving up any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Moscow currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The areas form the area of Donbas.

The initial US-led multi-point peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Kyiv and its European allies as being strongly biased in Moscow's direction.

This triggered a period of focused discussions – with the involved parties trying to amend the proposal.

The previous month, Kyiv sent the US an new framework – as well as separate documents detailing prospective security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky stated.