Britain and France Will Dispatch Troops to the Country in the event that a Peace Deal is Finalized

The UK and France have inked a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in the nation if a peace deal be concluded with Moscow, the British leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced.

After discussions with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the UK and France would "create operational bases throughout Ukraine and construct protected structures for weapons and military equipment" to deter any potential attack.

The partner countries also suggested that the United States would assume leadership in monitoring a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has as yet not issued a statement on this recent announcement.

Context and Ongoing Conflict

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin initiated a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

National leaders and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, the Prime Minister added: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could operate on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

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

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Senior Washington representative Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term defense assurances and strong economic promises are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – alluding to a central requirement made by Kyiv.

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

Jared Kushner, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also took part in the discussions.

Meanwhile, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "major headway" at the talks.

He said that "strong" defense assurances for Kyiv had been reached in the event of a possible ceasefire.

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

Recently, Zelensky said a settlement was "mostly finalized". Settling the remaining 10% would "decide the future of peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the heart of key disagreements for diplomats.
• Putin has often said that Ukrainian troops must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, refusing any concession over how to conclude the war.
• The Ukrainian President has so far rejected ceding any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

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

The initial US-led 28-point proposal that was circulated to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.

This sparked a period of intensive negotiations – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

The previous month, Kyiv presented the US an new proposal – as well as separate documents describing potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky stated.