The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to Ukraine if a Peace Deal is Finalized

The London and Paris have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of troops in the nation if a peace agreement be struck with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has announced.

Following negotiations with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the allies would "establish military hubs throughout Ukraine and construct protected facilities for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any future invasion.

The partner countries also suggested that the America would assume leadership in verifying a halt in hostilities.

Russia has on multiple occasions warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has not yet commented on this latest announcement.

Background and Continuing Conflict

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin initiated a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia at this time occupies roughly 20% of the country's land.

"This is a vital part of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated the British leader.

Heads of state and high-ranking officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" participated in the recent discussions.

Speaking at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister added: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could work on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The PM also stated that London would take part in any American-headed verification of a potential truce.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term safety pledges and substantial economic promises are critical to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – referring to a key condition made by Kyiv.

Witkoff noted the coalition had "largely finished" their work on agreeing such pledges "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this conflict ends, it ends for good."

The former US envoy, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also took part in the talks.

Meanwhile, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's partners had made "considerable advances" at the negotiations.

He said that "comprehensive" security guarantees for Ukraine had been settled upon in the case of a possible ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "significant development" had been made in the talks, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they resulted in the cessation of the war.

Last week, he said a peace agreement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "shape the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• Moscow has consistently stated that Kyiv's military must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, refusing any compromise over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date excluded surrendering any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia currently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The areas form the area of the Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive peace plan that was extensively reported to the media last year was seen by Ukraine and its European allies as being strongly biased in Moscow's favor.

This sparked a period of focused discussions – with all sides trying to adjust the proposal.

Recently, Ukraine sent the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as additional documents outlining potential security guarantees and plans for Ukraine's reconstruction, he stated.