Britain and France to Deploy Military Personnel to the Country should a Ceasefire Accord is Finalized

The UK and France have formalized a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of troops in the nation should a peace deal be made with Russia, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has stated.

After negotiations with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he said that the allies would "establish military hubs throughout Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons and equipment" to deter any subsequent invasion.

The coalition members also proposed that the United States would play the primary role in overseeing a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet responded on this new development.

Background and Ongoing War

Russian President Vladimir Putin began a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow presently occupies about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the long-term," remarked the British leader.

National leaders and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" participated in the Paris negotiations.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, he noted: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, securing Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

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

Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances

Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "lasting defense assurances and strong prosperity commitments are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a central demand made by Kyiv.

Witkoff noted the allies had "mostly completed" their work on establishing such pledges "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends for good."

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

Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable headway" at the meeting.

He said that "robust" security guarantees for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the instance of a possible ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major step forward" had been made in the talks, but added that he would only view efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the end of the war.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader indicated a peace deal was "90% ready". Settling the remaining 10% would "determine the fate of the peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of key disagreements for negotiators.
• Moscow has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any middle ground over how to end the war.
• Kyiv has thus far excluded ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Moscow currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The initial US-led multi-point peace plan that was widely leaked to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being strongly biased in Moscow's favor.

This triggered weeks of intensive discussions – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

The previous month, Kyiv submitted the US an new framework – as well as additional documents detailing prospective security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President said.