Britain and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to the Country should a Peace Agreement is Reached

The London and Paris have formalized a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be concluded with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has declared.

After negotiations with Ukraine's allies in Paris, he said that the two nations would "establish defense centers throughout Ukraine and build secure facilities for weapons and military equipment" to deter any potential invasion.

The partner countries also put forward that the United States would play the primary role in monitoring a halt in hostilities.

The Kremlin has consistently cautioned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet responded on this latest development.

The Situation and Ongoing Hostilities

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a major offensive of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow at this time occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

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

Top officials and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Speaking at a shared media briefing, Starmer noted: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could function on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's armed forces for the future."

The British leader added that the UK would take part in any US-led monitoring of a possible ceasefire.

Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Positions

Lead Washington representative Steve Witkoff stated that "lasting security guarantees and robust prosperity commitments are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – referring to a key condition made by Kyiv.

Witkoff said the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such guarantees "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this conflict ends, it ends for good."

The former US envoy, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the talks.

At the same time, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "major progress" at the talks.

He said that "robust" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the event of a possible ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "significant development" had been made in Paris, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "adequate" if they led to the end of the fighting.

Earlier, the Ukrainian leader indicated a peace agreement was "largely prepared". Settling the outstanding 10% would "decide the fate of peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Land and defense assurances have been at the heart of key disagreements for diplomats.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must pull back 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 to date excluded giving up any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russian forces currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The two regions form the area of the Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive proposal that was extensively reported to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Russia's direction.

This sparked a period of high-level diplomacy – with Ukraine, the US and European leaders trying to revise the proposal.

The previous month, Kyiv sent the US an updated framework – as well as additional documents detailing potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's recovery, the President stated.