Britain and France Plan to Send Forces to the Country if a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The British and French governments have signed a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of military forces in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be struck with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has announced.

After negotiations with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he indicated that the UK and France would "establish defense centers in various parts of Ukraine and erect protected installations for military hardware and defense matériel" to prevent any subsequent invasion.

The allied nations also put forward that the US would play the primary role in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

Russia has on multiple occasions stated 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

Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow at this time occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This is a vital part of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," commented Starmer.

Heads of state and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, Starmer further said: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters 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 British leader added that the UK would participate in any Washington-directed verification of a prospective cessation of hostilities.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting defense assurances and robust prosperity commitments are critical to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a central demand made by Ukraine.

Witkoff said the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on agreeing such assurances "so that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends for good."

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

Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's partners had made "major progress" at the talks.

He added that "comprehensive" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the event of a prospective truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "huge development" had been made in the talks, but qualified that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the cessation of the fighting.

Recently, Zelensky indicated a settlement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "decide the fate of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Territory and defense assurances have been at the heart of key disagreements for negotiators.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing any concession over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has so far rejected surrendering any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The two regions form the heartland of the Donbas.

The initial US-led multi-point peace plan 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 intensive diplomacy – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to amend the proposal.

Recently, The Ukrainian government sent the US an updated proposal – as well as distinct documents describing prospective security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, he said.