The United Kingdom and France Will Dispatch Troops to the Country in the event that a Peace Agreement is Finalized

The UK and France have signed a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of troops in the nation if a peace agreement be struck with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has announced.

Following talks with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he noted that the two nations would "establish military hubs in various parts of Ukraine and construct fortified facilities for military hardware and defense matériel" to deter any potential incursion.

The coalition members also put forward that the United States would play the primary role in verifying a truce.

Moscow has consistently stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has as yet not issued a statement on this new declaration.

Background and Continuing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major offensive of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia at this time occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our commitment to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future," commented Starmer.

Heads of state and senior officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" participated in the recent discussions.

He stated at a shared media briefing, the Prime Minister further said: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The British leader added that Britain would participate in any US-led confirmation of a prospective truce.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "durable security guarantees and strong economic promises are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a central requirement made by Kyiv.

The negotiator indicated the coalition had "largely finished" their work on establishing such assurances "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also took part in the negotiations.

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

He said that "comprehensive" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the case of a possible ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major advance" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they resulted in the end of the fighting.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader suggested a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "determine the future of the agreement, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for diplomats.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will take control, dismissing any concession over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has so far ruled out surrendering any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could withdraw its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia currently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the area of the Donbas.

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

This sparked weeks of focused negotiations – with the involved parties trying to revise the draft.

Recently, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an new 20-point plan – as well as additional documents describing potential defense assurances and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky said.