Britain and France Will Dispatch Troops to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Finalized

The London and Paris have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of troops in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be made with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has declared.

After discussions with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he said that the allies would "create defense centers in various parts of Ukraine and build secure structures for arms and defense matériel" to deter any potential invasion.

The partner countries also put forward that the United States would assume leadership in overseeing a ceasefire.

Russia has repeatedly warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet issued a statement on this latest development.

Context and Continuing Hostilities

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow presently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This represents an essential component of our pledge to support Ukraine for the long-term," commented the UK Prime Minister.

National leaders and high-ranking officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" participated in Tuesday's talks.

He stated at a shared media briefing, he noted: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukraine's territory, protecting Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The UK prime minister went on to say that Britain would take part in any American-headed verification of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Senior US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "lasting safety pledges and strong economic promises are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a key demand made by Ukraine.

Witkoff noted the allies had "mostly completed" their work on establishing such assurances "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends for good."

Jared Kushner, ex-President Donald Trump's advisor, also took part in the discussions.

Meanwhile, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "significant headway" at the negotiations.

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

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge development" had been made in the talks, but added that he would only consider efforts to be "sufficient" if they led to the end of the conflict.

Earlier, he indicated a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Settling the remaining 10% would "decide the outcome of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the forefront of ongoing disputes for negotiators.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, dismissing any compromise over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date excluded ceding any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the industrial region of Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive proposal that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's favor.

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

The previous month, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an new 20-point plan – as well as separate documents detailing prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President said.