UK and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine in the event that a Peace Deal is Agreed

The UK and France have signed a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of troops in Ukraine should a peace deal be concluded with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced.

Subsequent to talks with allied nations in the French capital, he indicated that the two nations would "set up military hubs across Ukraine and build secure structures for arms and defense matériel" to discourage any future incursion.

The allied nations also proposed that the America would assume leadership in verifying a truce.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has as yet not commented on this latest development.

Background and Ongoing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces at this time occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

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

Heads of state and top officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

He stated at a combined announcement, Starmer added: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on the ground in Ukraine, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the years ahead."

The British leader added that the UK would participate in any US-led verification of a prospective ceasefire.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting safety pledges and substantial prosperity commitments are critical to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a central requirement made by Ukraine.

Witkoff noted the partner nations had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such pledges "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

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

At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's partners had made "considerable headway" at the negotiations.

He said that "comprehensive" safety pledges for Ukraine had been settled upon in the case of a potential ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "significant development" had been made in Paris, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "adequate" if they led to the cessation of the war.

Last week, he said a peace deal was "mostly finalized". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "decide the outcome of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• Moscow has often said that Ukraine's forces must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing any middle ground over how to finish the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date excluded ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Moscow presently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The areas form the industrial region of Donbas.

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

This triggered weeks of focused negotiations – with all sides trying to adjust the document.

Recently, Ukraine presented the US an new proposal – as well as separate documents detailing possible security guarantees and plans for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky added.