UK and France Will Dispatch Forces to Ukraine should a Ceasefire Accord is Finalized

The UK and France have inked a statement of purpose concerning the stationing of armed personnel in Ukraine if a ceasefire be struck with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

After negotiations with allied nations in the French capital, he said that the allies would "create defense centers throughout Ukraine and build protected structures for weapons and equipment" to prevent any potential incursion.

The partner countries also suggested that the America would take the lead in verifying a truce.

Moscow has repeatedly cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this new announcement.

Background and Continuing Conflict

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin began a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia currently controls roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to support Ukraine for the long-term," stated Starmer.

National leaders and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the Paris negotiations.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, he further said: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The PM went on to say that the UK would take part in any US-led verification of a potential ceasefire.

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Top American diplomat Steve Witkoff stated that "lasting security guarantees and robust reconstruction vows are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a key requirement made by Kyiv.

The negotiator said the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such guarantees "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this conflict ends, it ends permanently."

The former US envoy, US President Donald Trump's advisor, also took part in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's supporters had made "considerable progress" at the negotiations.

He noted that "comprehensive" security guarantees for Kyiv had been reached in the event of a possible ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "significant step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the end of the war.

Recently, Zelensky indicated a peace deal was "90% ready". Settling the last 10% would "decide the future of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and security guarantees have been at the center of key disagreements for diplomats.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any concession over how to finish the war.
• Kyiv has to date excluded ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces presently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The two regions form the heartland of the Donbas.

The earlier US-led comprehensive proposal that was extensively reported to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's favor.

This sparked weeks of high-level discussions – with all sides trying to adjust the draft.

Recently, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as distinct documents outlining prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, Zelensky said.