The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to Ukraine in the event that a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The London and Paris have formalized a declaration of intent concerning the stationing of troops in the nation if a ceasefire be struck with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has stated.

Following talks with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he said that the two nations would "set up operational bases throughout Ukraine and erect protected facilities for arms and military equipment" to deter any potential invasion.

The allied nations also suggested that the United States would assume leadership in overseeing a ceasefire.

Russia has on multiple occasions stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet responded on this latest development.

Context and Continuing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia currently controls approximately 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated the British leader.

National leaders and top officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Speaking at a joint press conference, he further said: "It creates the pathway for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the future."

The PM also stated that the UK would take part in any US-led monitoring of a possible ceasefire.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff said that "durable defense assurances and robust economic promises are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – referring to a central condition made by Kyiv.

He said the coalition had "mostly completed" their work on finalizing such assurances "so that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends permanently."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also was involved in the negotiations.

At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable headway" at the talks.

He noted that "strong" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the case of a potential ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major step forward" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the conclusion of the war.

Earlier, Zelensky suggested a peace agreement was "90% ready". Settling the outstanding 10% would "decide the outcome of the agreement, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and defense assurances have been at the forefront of ongoing disputes for diplomats.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Kyiv's military must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, refusing any middle ground over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has thus far excluded surrendering any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russian forces presently holds about 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the area of Donbas.

The original US-led 28-point peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being heavily skewed in Russia's direction.

This triggered a period of intensive diplomacy – with all sides trying to amend the proposal.

The previous month, Kyiv sent the US an new framework – as well as separate documents outlining potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky added.