The United Kingdom and France Will Dispatch Troops to Ukraine if a Peace Agreement is Reached
The British and French governments have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be made with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has stated.
After talks with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he noted that the UK and France would "create defense centers in various parts of Ukraine and build secure facilities for weapons and military equipment" to deter any future attack.
The allied nations also proposed that the United States would assume leadership in verifying a ceasefire.
The Kremlin has consistently warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has not yet responded on this latest declaration.
Context and Ongoing War
The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow presently occupies approximately 20% of the country's land.
"This is a vital part of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the long-term," remarked Starmer.
National leaders and top officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in the recent discussions.
Speaking at a joint press conference, he further said: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and regenerating Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."
The PM also stated that the UK would be involved in any US-led verification of a potential ceasefire.
Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions
Senior Washington representative Steve Witkoff stated that "lasting defense assurances and strong prosperity commitments are critical to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a central condition made by Kyiv.
Witkoff noted the partner nations had "substantially agreed on" their work on agreeing such guarantees "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."
The former US envoy, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also was involved in the discussions.
Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable headway" at the negotiations.
He added that "strong" security guarantees for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the instance of a potential truce.
President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "huge advance" had been made in the talks, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "adequate" if they resulted in the conclusion of the fighting.
Recently, he suggested a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the last 10% would "shape the outcome of the peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".
Outstanding Matters
- Territory and security guarantees have been at the heart of key disagreements for diplomats.
- Moscow has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, rejecting any concession over how to end the war.
- Kyiv has thus far ruled out ceding any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same.
Russia currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The areas form the heartland of Donbas.
The initial US-led 28-point proposal that was extensively reported to the media last year was seen by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Russia's direction.
This led to a period of focused diplomacy – with all sides trying to amend the document.
Recently, The Ukrainian government sent the US an revised framework – as well as separate documents detailing potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, he stated.
