The United Kingdom and France to Deploy Military Personnel to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Reached

The UK and France have inked a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be concluded with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has announced.

After negotiations with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the two nations would "set up operational bases across Ukraine and build fortified installations for military hardware and equipment" to prevent any subsequent incursion.

The allied nations also suggested that the US would take the lead in overseeing a truce.

Russia has consistently warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet commented on this recent announcement.

Context and Ongoing War

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russia at this time controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

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

Heads of state and senior officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, he noted: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The PM added that the UK would participate in any US-led verification of a potential truce.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "lasting security guarantees and substantial prosperity commitments are critical to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – mentioning a central demand made by the Ukrainian government.

The negotiator noted the partner nations had "mostly completed" their work on finalizing such guarantees "in order that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends forever."

The former US envoy, US President Donald Trump's advisor, also was involved in the talks.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "considerable advances" at the negotiations.

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

President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "major development" had been made in the talks, but qualified that he would only view efforts to be "adequate" if they led to the end of the fighting.

Last week, Zelensky said a settlement was "largely prepared". Finalizing the last 10% would "shape the outcome of peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the heart of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• Putin has often said that Ukrainian troops must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, refusing any concession over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has to date rejected giving up any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Moscow currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk. The two regions form the industrial region of Donbas.

The original US-led multi-point framework that was circulated to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's favor.

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

The previous month, Ukraine presented the US an new framework – as well as additional documents detailing potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, the President stated.