UK and France Plan to Send Forces to the Country if a Ceasefire Accord is Agreed

The UK and France have inked a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of armed personnel in the nation in the event a peace agreement be concluded with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced.

After negotiations with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the allies would "establish military hubs in various parts of Ukraine and construct fortified structures for arms and equipment" to deter any future attack.

The allied nations also proposed that the United States would take the lead in overseeing a truce.

The Kremlin has repeatedly cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not issued a statement on this new development.

Background and Continuing Hostilities

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a major offensive of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow at this time controls about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This represents an essential component of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated the UK Prime Minister.

National leaders and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Speaking at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister noted: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's military for the years ahead."

The British leader added that the UK would take part in any American-headed verification of a prospective truce.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Top American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting defense assurances and robust economic promises are critical to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a key requirement made by Ukraine.

He said the coalition had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such pledges "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

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

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

He added that "strong" security guarantees for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the instance of a potential ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the end of the war.

Last week, he indicated a settlement was "90% ready". Settling the remaining 10% would "determine the fate of the peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and defense assurances have been at the heart of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will take control, refusing any concession over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected giving up any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Moscow currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the area of the Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive framework that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's direction.

This triggered a period of intensive negotiations – with the involved parties trying to revise the draft.

Recently, Kyiv submitted the US an updated framework – as well as additional documents outlining potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky added.