UK and France to Deploy Troops to Ukraine in the event that a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The British and French governments have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in Ukraine if a peace agreement be struck with Russia, the British leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

Following talks with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he indicated that the UK and France would "set up operational bases throughout Ukraine and construct secure installations for arms and defense matériel" to discourage any potential attack.

The allied nations also put forward that the US would take the lead in monitoring a truce.

Moscow has consistently stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has not yet commented on this new development.

Background and Continuing Hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russia at this time holds roughly 20% of the country's land.

"This is a vital part of our vow to support Ukraine for the long-term," stated the UK Prime Minister.

National leaders and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the recent discussions.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Starmer added: "It establishes the framework for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could function on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the years ahead."

The PM added that Britain would take part in any US-led monitoring of a potential truce.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Lead Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting defense assurances and robust economic promises are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a major demand made by Kyiv.

Witkoff noted the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on agreeing such assurances "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

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

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable advances" at the negotiations.

He added that "robust" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the event of a prospective truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "major development" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they culminated in the cessation of the fighting.

Recently, Zelensky indicated a peace deal was "mostly finalized". Settling the outstanding 10% would "decide the outcome of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the heart of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, dismissing any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has to date ruled out ceding any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russia presently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the area of Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point proposal that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Moscow's favor.

This sparked a period of intensive diplomacy – with the involved parties trying to revise the proposal.

Last month, Ukraine sent the US an new 20-point plan – as well as separate documents describing prospective security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President said.