Britain and France Plan to Send Troops to the Country should a Peace Deal is Finalized

The London and Paris have inked a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of troops in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be concluded with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has stated.

Following talks with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he said that the two nations would "set up operational bases throughout Ukraine and erect secure facilities for military hardware and defense matériel" to prevent any future invasion.

The coalition members also proposed that the US would assume leadership in overseeing a ceasefire.

Moscow has consistently stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet responded on this recent development.

Background and Continuing War

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russia presently holds about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the long-term," remarked the UK Prime Minister.

Heads of state and senior officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" were involved in the Paris negotiations.

Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, the Prime Minister added: "It establishes the framework for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could function on Ukrainian soil, defending Ukraine's skies and seas, and restoring Ukraine's armed forces for the time to come."

The British leader went on to say that London would take part in any US-led monitoring of a possible cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Senior Washington representative Steve Witkoff said that "long-term defense assurances and strong economic promises are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – referring to a key demand made by Ukraine.

The negotiator indicated the coalition had "mostly completed" their work on establishing such assurances "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this conflict ends, it ends forever."

The former US envoy, ex-President Donald Trump's advisor, also took part in the negotiations.

At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable advances" at the talks.

He added that "strong" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been agreed in the instance of a prospective truce.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky commented that a "major step forward" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only consider efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the end of the fighting.

Earlier, Zelensky suggested a peace deal was "largely prepared". Settling the outstanding 10% would "shape the fate of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the forefront of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• Moscow has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will seize it, rejecting any concession over how to conclude the war.
• Zelensky has so far excluded surrendering any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Russian forces currently occupies about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The two regions form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The original US-led 28-point proposal that was circulated to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.

This triggered a period of high-level diplomacy – with all sides trying to amend the proposal.

The previous month, Kyiv presented the US an new proposal – as well as additional documents describing potential security guarantees and arrangements for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President stated.