UK and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to Ukraine if a Peace Deal is Reached

The UK and France have formalized a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of military forces in the nation if a peace deal be made with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Starmer, has declared.

Following talks with allied nations in the French capital, he indicated that the UK and France would "create military hubs across Ukraine and build protected installations for arms and equipment" to discourage any future invasion.

The partner countries also proposed that the United States would play the primary role in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

Moscow has on multiple occasions warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has as yet not commented on this new announcement.

The Situation and Continuing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces presently holds roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our pledge to support Ukraine for the duration," stated Starmer.

National leaders and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, the Prime Minister further said: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The British leader also stated that London would take part in any US-led verification of a possible ceasefire.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Lead American diplomat Steve Witkoff said that "durable safety pledges and strong economic promises are essential to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – referring to a central condition made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff indicated the coalition had "largely finished" their work on agreeing such guarantees "so that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

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

Meanwhile, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "major advances" at the talks.

He said that "robust" safety pledges for Ukraine had been settled upon in the event of a possible truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge step forward" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they culminated in the cessation of the war.

Earlier, Zelensky said a peace deal was "90% ready". Settling the remaining 10% would "decide the future of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the heart of key disagreements for diplomats.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Kyiv's military must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, rejecting any middle ground over how to finish the war.
• Kyiv has thus far rejected ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia presently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The areas form the area of the Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point peace plan that was widely leaked to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's favor.

This led to weeks of intensive diplomacy – with all sides trying to revise the draft.

The previous month, Ukraine presented the US an new 20-point plan – as well as additional documents describing possible defense assurances and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, he stated.