UK and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to Ukraine should a Peace Deal is Reached
The London and Paris have formalized a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine in the event a ceasefire be struck with Moscow, the British leader, Starmer, has announced.
Following negotiations with allied nations in Paris, he noted that the UK and France would "create military hubs across Ukraine and erect secure facilities for arms and defense matériel" to discourage any subsequent attack.
The partner countries also put forward that the United States would assume leadership in monitoring a ceasefire.
Moscow has consistently stated that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has so far not responded on this latest declaration.
Context and Continuing Conflict
The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin initiated a major offensive of Ukraine in February 2022, and Russia presently holds approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.
"This is a vital part of our vow to support Ukraine for the long-term," stated the British leader.
Heads of state and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the Paris negotiations.
Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister further said: "It establishes the framework for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and rebuilding Ukraine's military for the years ahead."
The UK prime minister also stated that London would be involved in any Washington-directed verification of a possible truce.
Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions
Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff remarked that "long-term security guarantees and robust economic promises are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – referring to a key requirement made by Ukraine.
Witkoff indicated the partner nations had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such pledges "so that the Ukrainian people know that when this war ends, it ends permanently."
The former US envoy, ex-President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the discussions.
Meanwhile, President Macron Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's partners had made "considerable headway" at the meeting.
He said that "strong" security guarantees for Ukraine had been reached in the instance of a potential ceasefire.
Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge development" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the cessation of the war.
Earlier, Zelensky said a peace agreement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the outstanding 10% would "shape the future of the agreement, the future of Ukraine and Europe".
Outstanding Matters
- Territory and defense assurances have been at the center of key disagreements for the parties involved.
- Moscow has consistently stated that Kyiv's military must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, rejecting any middle ground over how to conclude the war.
- Zelensky has to date ruled out surrendering any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia follows suit.
Russian forces currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of the Donbas.
The initial US-led comprehensive framework that was extensively reported to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.
This triggered weeks of focused discussions – with the involved parties trying to amend the proposal.
Last month, Ukraine presented the US an new 20-point plan – as well as additional documents detailing possible security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, he added.
