Britain and France Will Dispatch Forces to Ukraine if a Ceasefire Accord is Agreed

The London and Paris have signed a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of armed personnel in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be struck with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has declared.

Subsequent to negotiations with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he noted that the UK and France would "set up military hubs across Ukraine and erect protected structures for arms and defense matériel" to deter any future attack.

The allied nations also put forward that the United States would play the primary role in verifying a truce.

Moscow has consistently warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet responded on this latest declaration.

Background and Continuing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow at this time holds roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the duration," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

National leaders and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in the recent discussions.

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, Starmer added: "It establishes the framework for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The British leader added that the UK would participate in any US-led confirmation of a prospective ceasefire.

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff remarked that "durable defense assurances and strong economic promises are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – alluding to a key requirement made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff said the partner nations had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such guarantees "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

The former US envoy, former American President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the talks.

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

He added that "robust" safety pledges for Ukraine had been agreed in the event of a possible ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "huge development" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only view efforts to be "sufficient" if they led to the end of the war.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader suggested a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the last 10% would "shape the fate of peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the forefront of key disagreements for negotiators.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any concession over how to conclude the war.
• Zelensky has to date rejected surrendering any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The areas form the heartland of Donbas.

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

This sparked a period of focused negotiations – with the involved parties trying to revise the document.

Last month, The Ukrainian government sent the US an revised framework – as well as separate documents describing possible security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, the President said.