UK and France to Deploy Military Personnel to the Country if a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The British and French governments have signed a statement of purpose concerning the stationing of armed personnel in the nation should a ceasefire be concluded with Moscow, the British leader, Keir Starmer, has announced.

Subsequent to negotiations with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the UK and France would "set up defense centers in various parts of Ukraine and erect protected structures for arms and equipment" to deter any potential attack.

The coalition members also proposed that the United States would play the primary role in monitoring a truce.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not issued a statement on this recent development.

The Situation and Continuing Hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow presently controls roughly 20% of the country's land.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the long-term," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

Top officials and high-ranking officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, he noted: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could operate on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and restoring Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The British leader also stated that Britain would take part in any American-headed confirmation of a prospective ceasefire.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term safety pledges and substantial economic promises are essential to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a central condition made by Ukraine.

The negotiator said the allies had "mostly completed" their work on establishing such assurances "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's representative, also was involved in the talks.

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

He noted that "comprehensive" defense assurances for Ukraine had been reached in the case of a possible truce.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "huge development" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they resulted in the cessation of the war.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader suggested a settlement was "mostly finalized". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "determine the future of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and defense assurances have been at the heart of unresolved issues for diplomats.
• Putin has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, dismissing any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has thus far rejected surrendering any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia currently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point proposal that was extensively reported to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being strongly biased in Moscow's direction.

This led to weeks of high-level diplomacy – with all sides trying to adjust the document.

Last month, Ukraine submitted the US an new framework – as well as separate documents outlining potential defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's recovery, the President added.