Britain and France to Deploy Forces to Ukraine if a Peace Agreement is Reached

The UK and France have inked a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be concluded with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has stated.

Following discussions with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he said that the allies would "set up operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and build secure structures for military hardware and equipment" to discourage any subsequent incursion.

The partner countries also proposed that the America would assume leadership in verifying a truce.

Moscow has consistently stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this new development.

Background and Continuing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin began a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces presently holds about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our vow to support Ukraine for the duration," stated the British leader.

Heads of state and senior officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, he further said: "It creates the pathway for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The British leader also stated that Britain would take part in any US-led verification of a potential truce.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "durable safety pledges and substantial reconstruction vows are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a key demand made by Kyiv.

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

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the discussions.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "major advances" at the talks.

He said that "strong" defense assurances for Kyiv had been reached in the case of a prospective truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major development" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they led to the end of the fighting.

Last week, Zelensky suggested a settlement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "shape the outcome of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Territory and defense assurances have been at the forefront of ongoing disputes for the parties involved.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will take control, dismissing any middle ground over how to finish the war.
• Zelensky has to date rejected giving up any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an designated point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia presently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions form the area of Donbas.

The original US-led comprehensive framework that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being strongly biased in Moscow's favor.

This led to a period of high-level negotiations – with all sides trying to adjust the proposal.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government presented the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as additional documents detailing prospective security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky said.