The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Troops to the Country if a Peace Deal is Reached

The London and Paris have formalized a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of troops in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be struck with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has stated.

After negotiations with allied nations in the French capital, he said that the UK and France would "set up operational bases across Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons and equipment" to prevent any potential incursion.

The coalition members also proposed that the US would take the lead in verifying a truce.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this recent announcement.

Background and Ongoing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This is a vital part of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the duration," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

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

Speaking at a shared media briefing, Starmer noted: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could function on the ground in Ukraine, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the future."

The UK prime minister went on to say that Britain would participate in any American-headed confirmation of a possible truce.

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Senior US negotiator Steve Witkoff remarked that "durable security guarantees and strong economic promises are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a major demand made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff indicated the coalition had "mostly completed" their work on finalizing such guarantees "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

The former US envoy, US President Donald Trump's advisor, also was involved in the discussions.

Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "significant progress" at the talks.

He noted that "comprehensive" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the case of a possible ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major step forward" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only view efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the conclusion of the war.

Earlier, Zelensky indicated a peace deal was "90% ready". Settling the remaining 10% would "decide the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, dismissing any concession over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has thus far ruled out ceding any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an agreed point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russian forces presently holds about 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The two regions form the heartland of the Donbas.

The initial US-led multi-point peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Russia's direction.

This led to a period of intensive diplomacy – with all sides trying to amend the draft.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an revised proposal – as well as additional documents describing prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, he stated.