Britain and France Will Dispatch Troops to the Country should a Peace Deal is Reached

The UK and France have inked a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of armed personnel in Ukraine if a peace agreement be concluded with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

Subsequent to negotiations with allied nations in Paris, he noted that the allies would "set up defense centers in various parts of Ukraine and erect secure facilities for arms and defense matériel" to prevent any potential incursion.

The partner countries also suggested that the United States would take the lead in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

Russia has on multiple occasions cautioned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has not yet commented on this new development.

Context and Continuing Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow currently occupies approximately 20% of the country's land.

"This represents an essential component of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the long-term," commented Starmer.

Top officials and high-ranking officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" took part in Tuesday's talks.

He stated at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister added: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The UK prime minister added that the UK would be involved in any American-headed verification of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term defense assurances and robust reconstruction vows are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a major requirement made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff noted the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such guarantees "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

The former US envoy, ex-President Donald Trump's special envoy, also was involved in the talks.

Meanwhile, France's leader Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "major progress" at the negotiations.

He noted that "strong" security guarantees for Ukraine had been reached in the instance of a prospective ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major step forward" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they led to the end of the conflict.

Earlier, he said a peace deal was "90% ready". Settling the last 10% would "decide the future of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing any concession over how to finish the war.
• Zelensky has so far excluded ceding any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russia currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the heartland of the Donbas.

The original US-led comprehensive peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.

This sparked weeks of high-level diplomacy – with the involved parties trying to adjust the document.

Last month, Kyiv presented the US an new 20-point plan – as well as additional documents outlining prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President said.