Britain and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to Ukraine if a Ceasefire Accord is Finalized

The British and French governments have signed a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine should a peace deal be struck with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has declared.

Following negotiations with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he noted that the UK and France would "create operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and construct secure structures for weapons and military equipment" to deter any potential attack.

The partner countries also put forward that the America would assume leadership in verifying a halt in hostilities.

Moscow has consistently warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not responded on this recent development.

Background and Continuing Hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russia currently holds roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to support Ukraine for the duration," commented Starmer.

National leaders and senior officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in the recent discussions.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, Starmer added: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the future."

The UK prime minister added that the UK would participate in any American-headed monitoring of a potential truce.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "lasting security guarantees and robust economic promises are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a key condition made by Ukraine.

Witkoff noted 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 permanently."

The former US envoy, former American President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the discussions.

At the same time, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's supporters had made "major progress" at the talks.

He said that "strong" security guarantees for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the instance of a possible truce.

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

Earlier, he indicated a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the last 10% would "determine the future of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the heart of ongoing disputes for diplomats.
• Putin has often said that Ukrainian troops must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, dismissing any concession over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date excluded giving up any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its troops to an designated point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia presently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The initial US-led 28-point peace plan that was extensively reported to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's favor.

This sparked a period of intensive negotiations – with the involved parties trying to revise the proposal.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government presented the US an new 20-point plan – as well as separate documents describing possible defense assurances and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, the President added.