Britain and France Plan to Send Troops to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Finalized

The British and French governments have inked a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of troops in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be concluded with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has declared.

After discussions with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he noted that the UK and France would "create military hubs throughout Ukraine and construct protected structures for weapons and military equipment" to prevent any future attack.

The partner countries also put forward that the US would assume leadership in overseeing a halt in hostilities.

Russia has on multiple occasions warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has so far not commented on this recent announcement.

The Situation and Ongoing Conflict

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

Top officials and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister further said: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The UK prime minister also stated that the UK would take part in any American-headed confirmation of a possible ceasefire.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Senior Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting defense assurances and substantial economic promises are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a key demand made by Ukraine.

The negotiator said the partner nations had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such guarantees "in order that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends permanently."

Jared Kushner, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also participated in the talks.

Meanwhile, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable advances" at the talks.

He said that "robust" defense assurances for Kyiv had been agreed in the event of a prospective truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they culminated in the end of the fighting.

Earlier, the Ukrainian leader indicated a peace agreement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the last 10% would "decide the future of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, dismissing any middle ground over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has so far ruled out giving up any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces currently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The pair of oblasts form the heartland of the Donbas.

The earlier US-led 28-point framework that was extensively reported to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being heavily skewed in Moscow's direction.

This led to a period of high-level negotiations – with all sides trying to revise the proposal.

Recently, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an revised framework – as well as additional documents detailing possible defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President stated.