Britain and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Finalized

The British and French governments have signed a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of military forces in Ukraine should a peace agreement be made with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

After negotiations with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he said that the allies would "create military hubs in various parts of Ukraine and build secure facilities for arms and equipment" to deter any future invasion.

The allied nations also suggested that the United States would take the lead in verifying a truce.

Russia has repeatedly warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet issued a statement on this latest announcement.

The Situation and Continuing Hostilities

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin initiated a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russia at this time occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

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

Heads of state and high-ranking officials from the "Allied Coalition" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Speaking at a combined announcement, Starmer further said: "It establishes the framework for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The PM added that London would participate in any US-led monitoring of a possible ceasefire.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term security guarantees and strong prosperity commitments are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – alluding to a key condition made by Ukraine.

The negotiator said the partner nations had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such pledges "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also took part in the discussions.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable headway" at the talks.

He said that "comprehensive" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the instance of a potential ceasefire.

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

Last week, Zelensky suggested a settlement was "90% ready". Finalizing the last 10% would "shape the fate of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and defense assurances have been at the center of ongoing disputes for negotiators.
• Putin has often said that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any compromise over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date ruled out surrendering any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Moscow currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The areas form the area of the Donbas.

The original US-led 28-point framework that was widely leaked to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being heavily skewed in Moscow's favor.

This sparked weeks of high-level discussions – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an updated 20-point plan – as well as separate documents detailing potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President added.