UK and France Will Dispatch Troops to Ukraine if a Peace Agreement is Agreed

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

Subsequent to discussions with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he noted that the UK and France would "set up military hubs in various parts of Ukraine and construct protected facilities for weapons and military equipment" to deter any future invasion.

The allied nations also proposed that the America would assume leadership in monitoring a ceasefire.

Russia has consistently warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not responded on this recent announcement.

Context and Continuing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our vow to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked Starmer.

Top officials and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Speaking at a combined announcement, he further said: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which British, French, and partner forces could work on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the years ahead."

The UK prime minister added that the UK would participate in any US-led confirmation of a possible truce.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Senior US negotiator Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term safety pledges and strong economic promises are critical to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a major condition made by Ukraine.

The negotiator said the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such assurances "so that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends permanently."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also took part in the negotiations.

Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "major headway" at the negotiations.

He added that "robust" security guarantees for Ukraine had been reached in the event of a prospective ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "major advance" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the cessation of the war.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader indicated a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Settling the outstanding 10% would "determine the fate of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the center of ongoing disputes for negotiators.
• Putin has often said that Ukraine's forces must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, refusing any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• Zelensky has so far excluded giving up any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point proposal that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being strongly biased in Moscow's direction.

This sparked a period of intensive negotiations – with all sides trying to amend the draft.

Last month, The Ukrainian government presented the US an revised framework – as well as distinct documents detailing prospective defense assurances and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, he stated.