UK and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine if a Ceasefire Accord is Finalized

The UK and France have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of troops in the nation if a peace agreement be concluded with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

Following discussions with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he said that the allies would "establish operational bases throughout Ukraine and erect secure installations for arms and defense matériel" to discourage any subsequent attack.

The coalition members also suggested that the America would take the lead in overseeing a ceasefire.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has not yet commented on this recent declaration.

Context and Ongoing Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a major offensive of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow presently occupies roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This represents an essential component of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

Heads of state and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the Paris negotiations.

He stated at a combined announcement, Starmer noted: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the years ahead."

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

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "long-term security guarantees and robust reconstruction vows are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a central requirement made by Ukraine.

He indicated the coalition had "largely finished" their work on establishing such assurances "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also was involved in the talks.

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

He noted that "robust" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the instance of a prospective ceasefire.

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

Last week, he indicated a settlement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "shape the fate of the agreement, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the forefront of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has often said that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, dismissing any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date rejected surrendering any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia currently holds about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The two regions form the heartland of Donbas.

The original US-led comprehensive proposal that was widely leaked to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its European allies as being strongly biased in Moscow's direction.

This sparked a period of focused discussions – with all sides trying to adjust the proposal.

The previous month, Ukraine presented the US an revised framework – as well as separate documents outlining prospective security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, he added.