Britain and France Will Dispatch Forces to Ukraine in the event that a Peace Agreement is Finalized

The UK and France have inked a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of military forces in Ukraine if a peace deal be made with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Starmer, has declared.

Following discussions with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he noted that the two nations would "establish operational bases throughout Ukraine and erect protected installations for military hardware and defense matériel" to prevent any potential attack.

The coalition members also put forward that the United States would play the primary role in verifying a truce.

Russia has repeatedly warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has as yet not responded on this new declaration.

Background and Continuing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow presently occupies about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our pledge to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future," commented the British leader.

Top officials and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

He stated at a joint press conference, Starmer further said: "It paves the way for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and restoring Ukraine's military for the years ahead."

The UK prime minister also stated that Britain would be involved in any US-led monitoring of a possible ceasefire.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Top American diplomat Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term safety pledges and strong reconstruction vows are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – mentioning a major demand made by the Ukrainian government.

Witkoff noted the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such guarantees "in order that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends for good."

Jared Kushner, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also was involved in the negotiations.

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

He said that "comprehensive" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the event of a possible ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "significant step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they led to the conclusion of the conflict.

Last week, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "90% ready". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "determine the future of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the center of key disagreements for negotiators.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will take control, dismissing any middle ground over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has thus far excluded surrendering any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russian forces presently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive peace plan that was widely leaked to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its European allies as being strongly biased in Russia's favor.

This led to weeks of intensive negotiations – with all sides trying to revise the draft.

Last month, Ukraine sent the US an updated proposal – as well as additional documents outlining possible defense assurances and arrangements for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President stated.