UK and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to the Country in the event that a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The UK and France have signed a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine should a peace agreement be struck with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Starmer, has stated.

Following talks with allied nations in Paris, he said that the allies would "establish operational bases throughout Ukraine and construct fortified installations for weapons and military equipment" to deter any future invasion.

The allied nations also proposed that the US would assume leadership in overseeing a halt in hostilities.

The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not issued a statement on this latest announcement.

Background and Ongoing War

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a major offensive of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russian forces currently occupies approximately 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated the UK Prime Minister.

Top officials and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, Starmer further said: "It establishes the framework for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The UK prime minister also stated that Britain would take part in any Washington-directed verification of a possible cessation of hostilities.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Senior US negotiator Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting safety pledges and strong prosperity commitments are critical to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a major requirement made by Kyiv.

He said the allies had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such pledges "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

Jared Kushner, ex-President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the negotiations.

At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's partners had made "major advances" at the talks.

He said that "robust" security guarantees for Kyiv had been reached in the case of a potential ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge step forward" had been made in the talks, but added that he would only view efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the cessation of the fighting.

Last week, Zelensky indicated a peace agreement was "largely prepared". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "decide the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Territory and defense assurances have been at the center of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, refusing any concession over how to end the war.
• Kyiv has so far excluded giving up any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

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

The original US-led 28-point framework that was extensively reported to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's favor.

This led to weeks of focused negotiations – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to adjust the proposal.

Recently, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as additional documents describing prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky stated.