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

The British and French governments have inked a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of armed personnel in the nation in the event a peace agreement be concluded with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced.

After negotiations with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he noted that the UK and France would "create operational bases across Ukraine and build fortified installations for weapons and defense matériel" to deter any future invasion.

The allied nations also suggested that the US would play the primary role in monitoring a truce.

The Kremlin has repeatedly warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has so far not commented on this latest declaration.

The Situation and Continuing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow currently holds about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

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

Top officials and senior officials from the "Partner Group" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, he further said: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The UK prime minister added that London would participate in any Washington-directed verification of a possible cessation of hostilities.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff said that "durable defense assurances and robust prosperity commitments are essential to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – mentioning a major demand made by Ukraine.

Witkoff said the allies had "largely finished" their work on establishing such pledges "so that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends for good."

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

Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's partners had made "major progress" at the negotiations.

He said that "robust" security guarantees for Ukraine had been reached in the case of a prospective ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major step forward" had been made in the talks, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the end of the war.

Recently, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "90% ready". Settling the last 10% would "determine the fate of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the center of ongoing disputes for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, refusing any concession over how to finish the war.
• The Ukrainian President has so far ruled out ceding any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

Moscow presently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of Donbas.

The original US-led multi-point framework that was widely leaked to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's direction.

This triggered a period of intensive diplomacy – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to adjust the document.

Last month, Ukraine submitted the US an updated proposal – as well as separate documents describing prospective defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's rebuilding, he added.