Britain and France Will Dispatch Troops to the Country if a Peace Agreement is Reached

The British and French governments have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of troops in Ukraine if a peace deal be made with Moscow, the British leader, Starmer, has announced.

After discussions with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he noted that the allies would "create operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and construct secure facilities for arms and equipment" to deter any potential invasion.

The allied nations also proposed that the United States would play the primary role in monitoring a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has so far not responded on this recent development.

Context and Continuing Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russia currently holds roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our vow to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked the British leader.

Heads of state and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" took part in Tuesday's talks.

He stated at a shared media briefing, the Prime Minister further said: "It creates the pathway for the operational parameters under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukraine's territory, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The PM also stated that London would be involved in any Washington-directed verification of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term defense assurances and substantial reconstruction vows are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a major requirement made by Kyiv.

The negotiator indicated the coalition had "mostly completed" their work on agreeing such assurances "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends permanently."

The former US envoy, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the discussions.

At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "significant advances" at the negotiations.

He added that "strong" defense assurances for Ukraine had been reached in the case of a potential ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge development" had been made in the negotiations, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they led to the cessation of the war.

Earlier, Zelensky indicated a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "determine the outcome of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and security guarantees have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• Putin has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, refusing any concession over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has so far excluded ceding any land, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its troops to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia currently holds approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and some 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the area of the Donbas.

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

This triggered a period of intensive diplomacy – with all sides trying to amend the document.

The previous month, Ukraine presented the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as additional documents outlining possible defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's recovery, the President said.