UK and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine should a Peace Agreement is Reached

The UK and France have inked a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of troops in Ukraine in the event a peace agreement be struck with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

After talks with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the allies would "establish military hubs across Ukraine and construct protected structures for arms and equipment" to discourage any future attack.

The partner countries also suggested that the United States would assume leadership in verifying a truce.

The Kremlin has consistently stated that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not issued a statement on this recent development.

Background and Continuing War

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

"This is a vital part of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated Starmer.

Top officials and top officials from the "Partner Group" took part in Tuesday's talks.

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, the Prime Minister noted: "It creates the pathway for the operational parameters under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

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

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term security guarantees and strong prosperity commitments are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – referring to a key demand made by Ukraine.

He indicated the partner nations had "mostly completed" their work on finalizing such pledges "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends for good."

The former US envoy, former American President Donald Trump's representative, also was involved in the negotiations.

At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's supporters had made "major progress" at the meeting.

He said that "comprehensive" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the event of a prospective truce.

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

Earlier, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "largely prepared". Finalizing the remaining 10% would "determine the future of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Land and defense assurances have been at the heart of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date rejected ceding any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an designated point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russia presently holds about 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the heartland of Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive framework that was circulated to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.

This triggered a period of focused negotiations – with all sides trying to revise the document.

Recently, Kyiv presented the US an updated framework – as well as distinct documents outlining prospective security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, he added.