The United Kingdom and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Finalized

The British and French governments have inked a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of armed personnel in Ukraine should a peace agreement be concluded with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has stated.

Following negotiations with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he indicated that the two nations would "establish operational bases throughout Ukraine and erect protected installations for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any potential invasion.

The coalition members also proposed that the United States would assume leadership in overseeing a truce.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions cautioned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not commented on this new development.

Background and Continuing Hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia presently occupies about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future," commented Starmer.

National leaders and senior officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" took part in Tuesday's talks.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, Starmer further said: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The UK prime minister added that the UK would be involved in any American-headed confirmation of a potential truce.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term security guarantees and substantial prosperity commitments are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – referring to a central requirement made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff indicated the allies had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such assurances "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this conflict ends, it ends permanently."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, US President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the discussions.

Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's supporters had made "considerable progress" at the meeting.

He added that "strong" defense assurances for Kyiv had been settled upon in the event of a possible ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major development" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the end of the conflict.

Last week, he suggested a settlement was "90% ready". Settling the last 10% would "decide the future of the agreement, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Land and security guarantees have been at the heart of key disagreements for diplomats.
• Moscow has often said that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, rejecting any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has so far rejected ceding any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russian forces currently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the industrial region of Donbas.

The original US-led 28-point framework that was widely leaked to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being heavily skewed in Russia's direction.

This sparked a period of high-level discussions – with the involved parties trying to amend the document.

Recently, Kyiv submitted the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as distinct documents outlining possible defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's recovery, the President stated.