Britain and France Plan to Send Forces to the Country in the event that a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The UK and France have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of military forces in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be made with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has announced.

Subsequent to negotiations with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he noted that the allies would "establish military hubs across Ukraine and construct secure installations for arms and defense matériel" to prevent any potential incursion.

The allied nations also proposed that the America would assume leadership in verifying a halt in hostilities.

Russia has consistently warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has as yet not responded on this new development.

Background and Continuing Hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia currently holds about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

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

Heads of state and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister noted: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could operate on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The British leader also stated that Britain would participate in any American-headed monitoring of a potential truce.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Senior Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term defense assurances and strong prosperity commitments are critical to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a central demand made by Kyiv.

Witkoff indicated the partner nations had "largely finished" their work on establishing such guarantees "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this war ends, it ends permanently."

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

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

He added that "strong" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the event of a possible ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "significant step forward" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they led to the end of the war.

Last week, the Ukrainian leader said a peace deal was "largely prepared". Settling the last 10% would "shape the outcome of the agreement, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Land and defense assurances have been at the center of ongoing disputes for the parties involved.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any compromise over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date rejected ceding any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could withdraw its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

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

The original US-led comprehensive proposal that was widely leaked to the media last year was seen by Ukraine and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.

This sparked weeks of high-level negotiations – with all sides trying to amend the proposal.

Recently, Kyiv sent the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as additional documents describing prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President said.