UK and France Will Dispatch Forces to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Agreed

The UK and France have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be concluded with Russia, the British leader, Keir Starmer, has declared.

After talks with allied nations in the French capital, he said that the allies would "create operational bases throughout Ukraine and build protected structures for military hardware and military equipment" to discourage any subsequent attack.

The partner countries also put forward that the US would take the lead in overseeing a truce.

Russia has repeatedly cautioned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not issued a statement on this recent announcement.

The Situation and Continuing Hostilities

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia currently holds about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the long-term," stated the UK Prime Minister.

Top officials and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" took part in the Paris negotiations.

He stated at a joint press conference, Starmer added: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The PM added that London would take part in any Washington-directed monitoring of a prospective truce.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Senior US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "durable defense assurances and strong economic promises are essential to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a major demand made by Ukraine.

Witkoff noted the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such pledges "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this war ends, it ends permanently."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also took part in the negotiations.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "major headway" at the negotiations.

He said that "comprehensive" security guarantees for Ukraine had been agreed in the instance of a potential ceasefire.

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

Earlier, the Ukrainian leader suggested a peace agreement was "90% ready". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "determine the future of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the heart of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, rejecting any middle ground over how to finish the war.
• Zelensky has to date ruled out surrendering any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia presently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the area of Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being strongly biased in Russia's favor.

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

The previous month, The Ukrainian government sent the US an updated proposal – as well as separate documents describing prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President added.