UK and France Will Dispatch Troops to Ukraine if a Peace Agreement is Reached

The London and Paris have inked a statement of purpose concerning the stationing of troops in Ukraine in the event a peace agreement be made with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

Following discussions with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he said that the two nations would "set up military hubs throughout Ukraine and build fortified structures for arms and military equipment" to prevent any future incursion.

The partner countries also suggested that the United States would play the primary role in overseeing a halt in hostilities.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not responded on this recent announcement.

Context and Ongoing Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin began a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow presently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

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

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

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister noted: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The British leader added that London would be involved in any American-headed verification of a prospective cessation of hostilities.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Lead American diplomat Steve Witkoff said that "long-term defense assurances and robust economic promises are critical to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a central demand made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff noted the coalition had "mostly completed" their work on finalizing such pledges "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

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

At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's supporters had made "major headway" at the negotiations.

He added that "strong" safety pledges for Ukraine had been settled upon in the case of a potential ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "significant step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they resulted in the conclusion of the conflict.

Earlier, the Ukrainian leader indicated a peace deal was "largely prepared". Settling the outstanding 10% would "decide the future of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, rejecting any concession over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has thus far ruled out ceding any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces currently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions form the heartland of the Donbas.

The earlier US-led multi-point framework that was widely leaked to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its European allies as being heavily skewed in Moscow's favor.

This triggered a period of high-level negotiations – with the involved parties trying to adjust the proposal.

The previous month, Kyiv presented the US an new framework – as well as separate documents outlining possible defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President added.