UK and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine in the event that a Ceasefire Accord is Agreed

The UK and France have signed a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine in the event a peace agreement be made with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

After negotiations with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he said that the UK and France would "establish operational bases across Ukraine and construct protected facilities for military hardware and defense matériel" to discourage any subsequent incursion.

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

Russia has consistently cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not commented on this latest announcement.

Background and Ongoing War

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

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

Heads of state and senior officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, he further said: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could operate on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the years ahead."

The PM also stated that London would participate in any American-headed monitoring of a possible ceasefire.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "lasting security guarantees and substantial prosperity commitments are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – mentioning a major condition made by the Ukrainian government.

He noted the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on agreeing such guarantees "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends permanently."

The former US envoy, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also took part in the talks.

At the same time, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "significant headway" at the meeting.

He added that "comprehensive" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the case of a potential truce.

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

Recently, the Ukrainian leader indicated a peace deal was "mostly finalized". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "shape the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the center of key disagreements for diplomats.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, refusing any compromise over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has to date ruled out ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia currently holds about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The two regions form the industrial region of Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being heavily skewed in Russia's favor.

This led to a period of intensive diplomacy – with the involved parties trying to adjust the document.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government sent the US an new framework – as well as separate documents describing prospective defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky added.