UK and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to the Country if a Peace Deal is Agreed

The British and French governments have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of armed personnel in Ukraine should a peace agreement be made with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has declared.

Following talks with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he said that the UK and France would "set up operational bases across Ukraine and erect fortified facilities for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any future attack.

The partner countries also suggested that the America would play the primary role in verifying a truce.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has as yet not issued a statement on this latest declaration.

The Situation and Continuing Conflict

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces currently occupies roughly 20% of the country's land.

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

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

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, he added: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and restoring Ukraine's armed forces for the years ahead."

The UK prime minister added that the UK would take part in any American-headed verification of a possible truce.

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Lead American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term defense assurances and robust economic promises are essential to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a central demand made by Ukraine.

He said the allies had "mostly completed" their work on finalizing such guarantees "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends permanently."

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

Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's partners had made "major advances" at the meeting.

He added that "strong" security guarantees for Kyiv had been agreed in the case of a potential ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "significant advance" had been made in the talks, but added that he would only view efforts to be "enough" if they culminated in the cessation of the fighting.

Earlier, he suggested a peace deal was "90% ready". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "determine the fate of peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the center of key disagreements for negotiators.
• Moscow has often said that Ukrainian troops must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, refusing any compromise over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has thus far rejected surrendering any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Moscow presently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the industrial region of Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point peace plan that was extensively reported to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being heavily skewed in Russia's favor.

This led to weeks of focused negotiations – with all sides trying to revise the draft.

Recently, Kyiv submitted the US an new proposal – as well as separate documents outlining prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, the President said.