The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine if a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The UK and France have inked a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of armed personnel in Ukraine in the event a peace agreement be struck with Moscow, the British leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

Subsequent to discussions with allied nations in Paris, he indicated that the allies would "create defense centers across Ukraine and build secure facilities for weapons and equipment" to discourage any future attack.

The allied nations also proposed that the America would take the lead in verifying a halt in hostilities.

The Kremlin has consistently warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet responded on this latest declaration.

Background and Ongoing Conflict

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow presently holds about 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our commitment to support Ukraine for the duration," remarked the British leader.

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

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, Starmer noted: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The British leader went on to say that London would take part in any Washington-directed monitoring of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Lead Washington representative Steve Witkoff said that "lasting security guarantees and substantial prosperity commitments are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a major condition made by Ukraine.

The negotiator noted the coalition had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such pledges "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends forever."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's representative, also took part in the discussions.

Meanwhile, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable headway" at the negotiations.

He added that "robust" defense assurances for Kyiv had been settled upon in the case of a potential ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "huge development" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the cessation of the war.

Earlier, Zelensky indicated a peace deal was "90% ready". Finalizing the remaining 10% would "shape the outcome of the peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the heart of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• Moscow has often said that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, dismissing any compromise over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has so far excluded ceding any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia presently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The original US-led comprehensive framework that was widely leaked to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's direction.

This led to a period of high-level discussions – with the involved parties trying to amend the document.

Last month, Ukraine submitted the US an updated proposal – as well as additional documents describing prospective security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, he said.