The United Kingdom and France Will Dispatch Troops to the Country if a Peace Deal is Finalized

The British and French governments have formalized a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of armed personnel in Ukraine should a ceasefire be made with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has announced.

After discussions with allied nations in Paris, he indicated that the allies would "set up defense centers throughout Ukraine and build fortified structures for arms and military equipment" to discourage any future invasion.

The partner countries also suggested that the America would play the primary role in monitoring a truce.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions cautioned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not commented on this recent declaration.

Background and Ongoing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia at this time holds about 20% of the country's land.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the long-term," stated the UK Prime Minister.

Heads of state and high-ranking officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Speaking at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister noted: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the future."

The PM added that London would be involved in any American-headed monitoring of a prospective ceasefire.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Lead Washington representative Steve Witkoff said that "lasting security guarantees and strong reconstruction vows are critical to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – referring to a major demand made by Kyiv.

Witkoff noted the partner nations had "largely finished" their work on agreeing such guarantees "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends permanently."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, ex-President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the talks.

Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's partners had made "significant advances" at the meeting.

He said that "strong" security guarantees for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the event of a possible truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major advance" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the conclusion of the conflict.

Last week, he indicated a peace deal was "90% ready". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "shape the future of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the center of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• Moscow has often said that Kyiv's military must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, rejecting any compromise over how to end the war.
• Kyiv has so far rejected ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its troops to an designated 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 heartland of the Donbas.

The original US-led 28-point framework that was extensively reported to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's direction.

This led to a period of high-level diplomacy – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

Last month, The Ukrainian government presented the US an revised proposal – as well as additional documents detailing potential defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky stated.