UK and France to Deploy Military Personnel to Ukraine in the event that a Peace Agreement is Reached

The British and French governments have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of armed personnel in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be made with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has stated.

After negotiations with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he noted that the two nations would "set up defense centers across Ukraine and construct protected structures for military hardware and military equipment" to deter any future incursion.

The coalition members also put forward that the United States would take the lead in overseeing a halt in hostilities.

Russia has consistently warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has not yet commented on this new development.

Background and Continuing Hostilities

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia presently controls roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

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

Heads of state and high-ranking officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

He stated at a combined announcement, he added: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The PM also stated that London would participate in any US-led monitoring of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting security guarantees and robust reconstruction vows are critical to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a major demand made by Ukraine.

Witkoff indicated the coalition had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such pledges "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends for good."

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

Meanwhile, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "major advances" at the talks.

He added that "strong" safety pledges for Kyiv had been reached in the instance of a prospective truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "major advance" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "sufficient" if they led to the conclusion of the conflict.

Last week, the Ukrainian leader indicated a settlement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the last 10% would "decide the outcome of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the forefront of key disagreements for diplomats.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing any concession over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has so far rejected ceding any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russian forces currently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the area of the Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point proposal that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being heavily skewed in Russia's favor.

This triggered weeks of focused discussions – with all sides trying to revise the draft.

Last month, The Ukrainian government sent the US an new framework – as well as separate documents outlining prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky stated.