UK and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to the Country should a Peace Deal is Reached

The British and French governments have inked a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of military forces in the nation if a peace agreement be struck with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has declared.

Subsequent to talks with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he said that the allies would "create operational bases throughout Ukraine and construct fortified installations for arms and military equipment" to discourage any potential attack.

The allied nations also suggested that the United States would play the primary role in verifying a halt in hostilities.

Moscow has on multiple occasions warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not issued a statement on this recent development.

The Situation and Ongoing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces at this time holds about 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated the British leader.

Heads of state and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

He stated at a joint press conference, he further said: "It creates the pathway for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The UK prime minister went on to say that the UK would be involved in any American-headed verification of a potential ceasefire.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff said that "durable security guarantees and substantial prosperity commitments are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a central demand made by Kyiv.

He indicated the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such guarantees "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends permanently."

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

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "significant progress" at the meeting.

He added that "robust" defense assurances for Kyiv had been agreed in the instance of a possible ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "huge development" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they led to the cessation of the conflict.

Recently, he indicated a settlement was "90% ready". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "decide the fate of the peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Land and security guarantees have been at the forefront of key disagreements for diplomats.
• The Russian President has often said that Kyiv's military must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, dismissing any compromise over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has thus far excluded surrendering any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same.

Moscow presently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The areas form the area of Donbas.

The original US-led 28-point proposal that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's favor.

This led to a period of high-level diplomacy – with all sides trying to revise the proposal.

The previous month, Ukraine submitted the US an updated framework – as well as additional documents detailing possible defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, he stated.