Britain and France Will Dispatch Forces to the Country if a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The British and French governments have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of troops in Ukraine should a peace agreement be struck with Moscow, the British leader, Keir Starmer, has announced.

Following talks with allied nations in Paris, he indicated that the UK and France would "set up operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and erect fortified installations for weapons and military equipment" to prevent any future invasion.

The coalition members also put forward that the United States would assume leadership in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

Moscow has consistently stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet issued a statement on this new development.

Context and Continuing Hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a major offensive of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia currently occupies about 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our commitment to support Ukraine for the long-term," stated Starmer.

National leaders and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" participated in the recent discussions.

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, he added: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The British leader added that the UK would be involved in any US-led monitoring of a prospective truce.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff said that "lasting defense assurances and robust reconstruction vows are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – referring to a key requirement made by Kyiv.

He indicated the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such pledges "so that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends permanently."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also was involved in the discussions.

At the same time, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's supporters had made "considerable advances" at the meeting.

He added that "robust" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the event of a possible truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "significant development" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "adequate" if they culminated in the cessation of the war.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader said a peace agreement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "decide the fate of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will take control, refusing any concession over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date excluded surrendering any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces presently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions form the heartland of the Donbas.

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

This sparked weeks of focused diplomacy – with all sides trying to revise the document.

Last month, Kyiv submitted the US an updated proposal – as well as separate documents describing potential defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, he added.