UK and France Plan to Send Troops to the Country if a Peace Deal is Reached

The UK and France have inked a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine if a peace agreement be made with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced.

After discussions with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he noted that the UK and France would "create defense centers in various parts of Ukraine and erect protected facilities for weapons and military equipment" to prevent any subsequent incursion.

The partner countries also suggested that the America would assume leadership in verifying a halt in hostilities.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions cautioned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet issued a statement on this recent declaration.

Background and Continuing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the duration," remarked Starmer.

Heads of state and top officials from the "Partner Group" participated in the Paris negotiations.

He stated at a joint press conference, he further said: "It establishes the framework for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The UK prime minister added that Britain would be involved in any US-led monitoring of a possible truce.

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Senior US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "lasting safety pledges and robust reconstruction vows are essential to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a central demand made by Ukraine.

The negotiator noted the partner nations had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such guarantees "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends forever."

The former US envoy, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the negotiations.

At the same time, France's leader Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "significant headway" at the negotiations.

He added that "robust" defense assurances for Ukraine had been reached in the case of a possible ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "significant advance" had been made in the talks, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they led to the end of the conflict.

Last week, Zelensky suggested a settlement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the last 10% would "shape the fate of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the center of ongoing disputes for negotiators.
• Putin has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, refusing any concession over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has thus far excluded giving up any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an designated point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Moscow presently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The two regions form the heartland of the Donbas.

The original US-led comprehensive framework that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Russia's favor.

This triggered weeks of focused negotiations – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to revise the draft.

Recently, The Ukrainian government sent the US an revised proposal – as well as distinct documents outlining potential security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, the President stated.