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

The British and French governments have inked a declaration of intent concerning the stationing of troops in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be struck with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced.

Subsequent to talks with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he indicated that the allies would "create operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and erect fortified installations for military hardware and defense matériel" to discourage any potential attack.

The coalition members also proposed that the US would play the primary role in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

Moscow has on multiple occasions warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has so far not commented on this new development.

Background and Continuing War

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces at this time occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

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

Top officials and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, Starmer further said: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's armed forces for the years ahead."

The British leader added that the UK would participate in any Washington-directed monitoring of a prospective cessation of hostilities.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Lead Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term safety pledges and robust prosperity commitments are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – alluding to a major condition made by Kyiv.

Witkoff said the allies had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such pledges "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also participated in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's supporters had made "major advances" at the negotiations.

He said that "strong" safety pledges for Ukraine had been reached in the event of a potential ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge development" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the cessation of the fighting.

Last week, the Ukrainian leader suggested a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Settling the remaining 10% would "determine the future of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Land and security guarantees have been at the center of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• Putin has consistently stated that Kyiv's military must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• Zelensky has to date excluded ceding any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

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

The initial US-led multi-point proposal that was extensively reported to the media last year was seen by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.

This sparked a period of high-level negotiations – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

Recently, Ukraine presented the US an revised framework – as well as separate documents outlining possible security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, he stated.