Britain and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to Ukraine should a Peace Agreement is Reached

The London and Paris have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of troops in the nation should a peace agreement be concluded with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

After discussions with allied nations in the French capital, he said that the two nations would "establish military hubs throughout Ukraine and construct protected structures for weapons and defense matériel" to discourage any future attack.

The coalition members also proposed that the United States would take the lead in monitoring a truce.

The Kremlin has consistently stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not issued a statement on this latest declaration.

The Situation and Ongoing Conflict

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow presently controls roughly 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the duration," remarked the British leader.

Top officials and high-ranking officials from the "Partner Group" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister added: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The UK prime minister added that Britain would participate in any US-led monitoring of a possible ceasefire.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Senior Washington representative Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term safety pledges and strong prosperity commitments are critical to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a central condition made by Ukraine.

He indicated the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such pledges "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

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

Meanwhile, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable advances" at the meeting.

He noted that "strong" defense assurances for Kyiv had been settled upon in the case of a prospective truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "significant step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only view efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the end of the fighting.

Last week, the Ukrainian leader suggested a peace agreement was "largely prepared". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "shape the fate of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for diplomats.
• Moscow has often said that Kyiv's military must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• Zelensky has so far ruled out ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same.

Moscow currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The areas form the heartland of Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive framework that was widely leaked to the media last year was seen by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Russia's direction.

This triggered a period of intensive negotiations – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to adjust the draft.

Last month, Kyiv submitted the US an updated 20-point plan – as well as separate documents outlining prospective security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, the President added.