The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Military Personnel to the Country in the event that a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The British and French governments have inked a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of military forces in the nation should a peace agreement be struck with Russia, the British leader, Starmer, has announced.

After discussions with allied nations in Paris, he noted that the UK and France would "create operational bases across Ukraine and erect secure facilities for weapons and military equipment" to prevent any subsequent incursion.

The allied nations also suggested that the US would take the lead in monitoring a ceasefire.

Moscow has on multiple occasions cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this new development.

Background and Ongoing Hostilities

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

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," commented Starmer.

National leaders and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister noted: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's military for the future."

The PM added that London would take part in any US-led monitoring of a possible truce.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Lead Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "durable defense assurances and substantial prosperity commitments are critical to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – alluding to a major requirement made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff noted the coalition had "largely finished" their work on agreeing such pledges "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this war ends, it ends for good."

Jared Kushner, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also was involved in the negotiations.

At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "major progress" at the meeting.

He added that "comprehensive" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the event of a prospective truce.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "huge development" had been made in the negotiations, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the cessation of the conflict.

Recently, he said a peace agreement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "determine the outcome of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Land and defense assurances have been at the heart of key disagreements for diplomats.
• Moscow has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any concession over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has thus far ruled out surrendering any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces presently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The two regions form the area of Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive peace plan that was extensively reported to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's favor.

This led to weeks of high-level discussions – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to revise the draft.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government presented the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as additional documents detailing potential security guarantees and plans for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky added.