UK and France Plan to Send Troops to the Country in the event that a Peace Agreement is Reached

The UK and France have inked a memorandum of understanding concerning the deployment of military forces in Ukraine if a peace agreement be struck with Russia, the British leader, Starmer, has declared.

Subsequent to negotiations with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he noted that the UK and France would "set up military hubs throughout Ukraine and construct protected installations for arms and equipment" to prevent any potential incursion.

The partner countries also put forward that the America would take the lead in overseeing a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has consistently warned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has so far not issued a statement on this recent development.

The Situation and Continuing Conflict

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russian forces presently holds about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This represents an essential component of our vow to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," commented the UK Prime Minister.

Top officials and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" participated in the recent discussions.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, Starmer noted: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on the ground in Ukraine, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the years ahead."

The UK prime minister went on to say that the UK would take part in any Washington-directed confirmation of a prospective truce.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Lead American diplomat Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term safety pledges and strong prosperity commitments are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a major requirement made by Kyiv.

He indicated the partner nations had "substantially agreed on" their work on agreeing such assurances "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, former American President Donald Trump's special envoy, also participated in the discussions.

Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "major headway" at the negotiations.

He said that "robust" security guarantees for Ukraine had been settled upon in the event of a possible truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major advance" had been made in the talks, but qualified that he would only view efforts to be "adequate" if they culminated in the cessation of the fighting.

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

Unresolved Issues

• Territory and defense assurances have been at the heart of ongoing disputes for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, dismissing any concession over how to end the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date ruled out ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

Moscow currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the heartland of the Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive proposal that was extensively reported to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Moscow's favor.

This triggered weeks of focused diplomacy – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to adjust the draft.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government sent the US an new framework – as well as additional documents outlining potential defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's recovery, Zelensky stated.