UK and France to Deploy Troops to Ukraine should a Peace Agreement is Reached

The British and French governments have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in Ukraine should a peace deal be concluded with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Starmer, has stated.

Following negotiations with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he indicated that the allies would "establish military hubs in various parts of Ukraine and erect secure structures for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any subsequent incursion.

The coalition members also suggested that the United States would play the primary role in verifying a ceasefire.

Russia has repeatedly warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has as yet not responded on this recent development.

Background and Ongoing Hostilities

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the long-term," commented the UK Prime Minister.

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

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister added: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's military for the future."

The PM also stated that Britain would participate in any American-headed monitoring of a potential truce.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Top American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting defense assurances and robust reconstruction vows are essential to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a key requirement made by the Ukrainian government.

He noted the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on agreeing such pledges "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

The former US envoy, US President Donald Trump's representative, also took part in the negotiations.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's partners had made "major advances" at the meeting.

He added that "robust" defense assurances for Ukraine had been settled upon in the case of a prospective truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "huge advance" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "adequate" if they resulted in the cessation of the conflict.

Recently, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "determine the future of the agreement, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any middle ground over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date ruled out ceding any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could move its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russian forces presently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The two regions form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The original US-led multi-point peace plan that was widely leaked to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being heavily skewed in Moscow's favor.

This sparked a period of focused negotiations – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to revise the draft.

Recently, Kyiv presented the US an new 20-point plan – as well as separate documents outlining possible security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President stated.