UK and France Will Dispatch Forces to the Country if a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The British and French governments have inked a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of armed personnel in Ukraine should a peace agreement be concluded with Russia, the British leader, Keir Starmer, has announced.

Subsequent to discussions with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he said that the allies would "set up defense centers across Ukraine and erect secure facilities for arms and military equipment" to deter any potential attack.

The coalition members also put forward that the US would take the lead in overseeing a truce.

The Kremlin has consistently warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has so far not commented on this new announcement.

Context and Continuing Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow presently holds approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This represents an essential component of our vow to stand with Ukraine for the long-term," stated the UK Prime Minister.

Heads of state and senior officials from the "Partner Group" took part in the Paris negotiations.

He stated at a joint press conference, he added: "It paves the way for the operational parameters under which British, French, and partner forces could function on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's military for the years ahead."

The British leader added that the UK would be involved in any American-headed confirmation of a prospective truce.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Lead American diplomat Steve Witkoff said that "lasting safety pledges and robust prosperity commitments are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a major condition made by Ukraine.

Witkoff indicated the partner nations had "mostly completed" their work on establishing such guarantees "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also took part in the talks.

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

He said that "robust" defense assurances for Kyiv had been agreed in the instance of a possible truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major step forward" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they culminated in the conclusion of the fighting.

Recently, he indicated a peace agreement was "largely prepared". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "decide the future of the agreement, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• Putin has consistently stated that Kyiv's military must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has so far excluded surrendering any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an agreed point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Moscow currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The two regions form the industrial region of the Donbas.

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

This led to a period of high-level diplomacy – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to revise the draft.

The previous month, Ukraine presented the US an new 20-point plan – as well as separate documents outlining prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, the President stated.