Britain and France to Deploy Troops to the Country should a Ceasefire Accord is Finalized

The UK and France have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in the nation if a peace agreement be struck with Moscow, the British leader, Keir Starmer, has announced.

Following talks with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he indicated that the allies would "set up operational bases throughout Ukraine and build secure structures for weapons and equipment" to discourage any future incursion.

The allied nations also put forward that the United States would play the primary role in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

Russia has consistently warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has as yet not commented on this recent declaration.

Context and Ongoing Conflict

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow at this time controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to support Ukraine for the duration," commented the UK Prime Minister.

Heads of state and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

He stated at a joint press conference, Starmer noted: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The UK prime minister also stated that London would take part in any US-led monitoring of a possible truce.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting safety pledges and substantial prosperity commitments are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a major condition made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff indicated the coalition had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such assurances "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends permanently."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also was involved in the talks.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "considerable advances" at the meeting.

He added that "robust" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the event of a potential truce.

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

Last week, Zelensky said a settlement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "shape the fate of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and security guarantees have been at the heart of ongoing disputes for diplomats.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any concession over how to finish the war.
• Zelensky has thus far ruled out giving up any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same.

Moscow currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the area of Donbas.

The earlier US-led multi-point peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being strongly biased in Russia's direction.

This triggered weeks of focused discussions – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to adjust the draft.

Recently, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an revised proposal – as well as additional documents describing possible security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky said.