The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Forces to the Country should a Peace Agreement is Agreed

The UK and France have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of armed personnel in Ukraine if a ceasefire be struck with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Starmer, has declared.

Subsequent to talks with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he said that the allies would "set up military hubs throughout Ukraine and erect fortified facilities for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any subsequent invasion.

The partner countries also proposed that the America would play the primary role in monitoring a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not responded on this new announcement.

Background and Continuing War

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin launched a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow at this time occupies roughly 20% of the country's land.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked the British leader.

National leaders and high-ranking officials from the "Partner Group" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, he noted: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could work on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's armed forces for the years ahead."

The PM also stated that London would participate in any US-led monitoring of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Top Washington representative Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting security guarantees and robust reconstruction vows are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a major requirement made by the Ukrainian government.

He indicated the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such pledges "so that the citizens of Ukraine know that when this conflict ends, it ends permanently."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, also participated in the negotiations.

At the same time, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "considerable headway" at the talks.

He added that "robust" defense assurances for Kyiv had been settled upon in the case of a possible ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "major development" had been made in Paris, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the cessation of the war.

Last week, he said a peace deal was "largely prepared". Agreeing on the last 10% would "shape the future of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the heart of ongoing disputes for negotiators.
• Moscow has consistently stated that Kyiv's military must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, refusing any compromise over how to end the war.
• Kyiv has to date excluded ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an designated point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The two regions form the heartland of Donbas.

The original US-led comprehensive framework that was circulated to the media last year was viewed by Ukraine and its European allies as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's favor.

This sparked a period of intensive discussions – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to amend the document.

The previous month, Ukraine submitted the US an new 20-point plan – as well as additional documents detailing prospective defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, Zelensky stated.