UK and France to Deploy Military Personnel to Ukraine if a Peace Deal is Agreed

The British and French governments have signed a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of armed personnel in Ukraine if a peace agreement be struck with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

After talks with allied nations in Paris, he said that the UK and France would "establish operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and erect secure structures for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any potential invasion.

The partner countries also suggested that the America would take the lead in overseeing a truce.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet issued a statement on this recent development.

Context and Ongoing Hostilities

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces currently holds approximately 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our vow to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked Starmer.

National leaders and senior officials from the "Partner Group" took part in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, Starmer noted: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could function on Ukrainian soil, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and regenerating Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The British leader went on to say that Britain would take part in any US-led confirmation of a prospective cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term security guarantees and robust economic promises are essential to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – referring to a key condition made by the Ukrainian government.

He noted the partner nations had "substantially agreed on" their work on agreeing such assurances "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's advisor, also was involved in the discussions.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "considerable advances" at the talks.

He noted that "robust" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the case of a potential truce.

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

Last week, the Ukrainian leader said a peace deal was "largely prepared". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "shape the future of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and defense assurances have been at the heart of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• Moscow has often said that Ukraine's forces must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, dismissing any concession over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has to date ruled out ceding any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Moscow presently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point proposal that was widely leaked to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.

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

Last month, Kyiv submitted the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as additional documents detailing possible defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President added.