UK and France to Deploy Forces to the Country in the event that a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The British and French governments have signed a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of troops in Ukraine if a ceasefire be made with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has announced.

Following discussions with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he said that the UK and France would "set up military hubs across Ukraine and build secure installations for arms and military equipment" to discourage any future invasion.

The coalition members also put forward that the US would play the primary role in monitoring a truce.

Moscow has consistently stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this recent development.

The Situation and Ongoing War

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a major offensive of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia currently holds about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," stated the British leader.

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

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister further said: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The British leader added that Britain would participate in any Washington-directed monitoring of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term safety pledges and robust reconstruction vows are essential to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a key condition made by Ukraine.

The negotiator said the partner nations had "largely finished" their work on agreeing such assurances "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends permanently."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, President Macron Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "major advances" at the talks.

He said that "strong" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the event of a possible ceasefire.

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 "adequate" if they resulted in the cessation of the fighting.

Last week, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "90% ready". Finalizing the last 10% would "shape the fate of the peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the forefront of ongoing disputes for diplomats.
• Putin has often said that Ukrainian troops must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any concession over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has so far rejected ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russia currently holds about 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The areas form the industrial region of Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point peace plan that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its European allies as being heavily skewed in Moscow's favor.

This led to weeks of high-level diplomacy – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to adjust the document.

Last month, Ukraine sent the US an updated framework – as well as additional documents outlining possible security guarantees and plans for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky stated.