Britain and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Reached

The British and French governments have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of military forces in the nation should a peace deal be made with Russia, the British leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

After discussions with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he indicated that the two nations would "establish defense centers in various parts of Ukraine and build fortified facilities for weapons and defense matériel" to deter any future incursion.

The coalition members also suggested that the America would take the lead in verifying a halt in hostilities.

The Kremlin has repeatedly cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has as yet not responded on this new declaration.

Context and Ongoing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major offensive of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces currently holds about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

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

Heads of state and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the recent discussions.

He stated at a joint press conference, Starmer further said: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could work on the ground in Ukraine, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's military for the future."

The British leader also stated that London would participate in any American-headed confirmation of a prospective cessation of hostilities.

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "durable security guarantees and robust prosperity commitments are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a central condition made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff said the partner nations had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such guarantees "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this war ends, it ends forever."

The former US envoy, ex-President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the talks.

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

He added that "strong" security guarantees for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the instance of a potential ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "major development" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they led to the end of the fighting.

Last week, he suggested a peace deal was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "shape the fate of peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Land and security guarantees have been at the center of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any concession over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has so far ruled out surrendering any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its troops to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

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

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

This led to a period of intensive negotiations – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to revise the proposal.

Recently, Kyiv presented the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as separate documents describing potential defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's rebuilding, he said.