UK and France Will Dispatch Troops to Ukraine in the event that a Peace Agreement is Finalized

The UK and France have formalized a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of armed personnel in Ukraine should a ceasefire be made with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

After talks with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he indicated that the UK and France would "create operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and construct fortified structures for weapons and equipment" to deter any future invasion.

The coalition members also proposed that the United States would assume leadership in overseeing a truce.

The Kremlin has consistently stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has so far not responded on this recent announcement.

The Situation and Continuing Hostilities

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia currently controls roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This is a vital part of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the duration," commented the British leader.

National leaders and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister added: "It creates the pathway for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The British leader also stated that the UK would be involved in any US-led confirmation of a prospective truce.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff said that "long-term defense assurances and robust prosperity commitments are essential to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a key requirement made by Kyiv.

He indicated the partner nations had "largely finished" their work on establishing such assurances "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

The former US envoy, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, also was involved in the negotiations.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "significant progress" at the talks.

He noted that "strong" safety pledges for Ukraine had been reached in the event of a possible truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "significant advance" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only view efforts to be "adequate" if they resulted in the cessation of the fighting.

Recently, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "decide the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and security guarantees have been at the forefront of key disagreements for diplomats.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, dismissing any concession over how to finish the war.
• Zelensky has thus far ruled out ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia presently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The two regions form the area of Donbas.

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

This triggered weeks of high-level discussions – with all sides trying to adjust the document.

The previous month, Ukraine presented the US an new framework – as well as separate documents describing potential defense assurances and arrangements for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President said.