The United Kingdom and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to the Country if a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The London and Paris have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of armed personnel in Ukraine should a peace deal be made with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has stated.

Following talks with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he indicated that the allies would "establish operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and construct protected installations for arms and military equipment" to discourage any subsequent invasion.

The partner countries also proposed that the US would assume leadership in overseeing a ceasefire.

Russia has on multiple occasions warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not issued a statement on this new development.

Background and Continuing Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow presently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

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

Top officials and top officials from the "Partner Group" participated in the recent discussions.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, he further said: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, defending Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The British leader also stated that London would take part in any US-led confirmation of a potential truce.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff remarked that "durable safety pledges and strong reconstruction vows are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a central demand made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff said the partner nations had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such pledges "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

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

At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's partners had made "significant progress" at the meeting.

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major advance" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they led to the conclusion of the fighting.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader suggested a peace agreement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "shape the fate of the agreement, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the forefront of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any compromise over how to finish the war.
• Kyiv has thus far rejected giving up any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could withdraw its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia follows suit.

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

The initial US-led 28-point framework that was widely leaked to the media last year was viewed by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being heavily skewed in Moscow's favor.

This led to a period of intensive negotiations – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

Last month, Kyiv presented the US an revised framework – as well as additional documents describing potential security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, he added.