The United Kingdom and France Will Dispatch Military Personnel to Ukraine if a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The UK and France have formalized a declaration of intent concerning the deployment of armed personnel in Ukraine should a ceasefire be struck with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Starmer, has announced.

Following discussions with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he said that the allies would "set up operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and build fortified facilities for weapons and defense matériel" to deter any potential incursion.

The allied nations also suggested that the US would play the primary role in verifying a halt in hostilities.

Russia has repeatedly warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has as yet not responded on this recent declaration.

Context and Continuing Hostilities

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow currently holds approximately 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our pledge to be alongside Ukraine for the foreseeable future," commented the UK Prime Minister.

National leaders and high-ranking officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

He stated at a shared media briefing, Starmer added: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, securing Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the years ahead."

The British leader also stated that Britain would participate in any Washington-directed monitoring of a potential ceasefire.

Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances

Top American diplomat Steve Witkoff said that "long-term safety pledges and substantial reconstruction vows are essential to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – referring to a major demand made by Kyiv.

The negotiator indicated the allies had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such guarantees "in order that the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, former American President Donald Trump's advisor, also participated in the discussions.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's supporters had made "considerable headway" at the talks.

He added that "comprehensive" safety pledges for Kyiv had been settled upon in the instance of a prospective ceasefire.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major development" had been made in the talks, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "sufficient" if they led to the conclusion of the fighting.

Last week, the Ukrainian leader said a peace agreement was "90% ready". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "decide the outcome of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Territory and security guarantees have been at the heart of unresolved issues for diplomats.
• Putin has consistently stated that Ukraine's forces must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, rejecting any middle ground over how to finish the war.
• Kyiv has to date rejected surrendering any territory, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its forces to an agreed point – but only if Russia follows suit.

Russia currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The pair of oblasts form the industrial region of the Donbas.

The initial US-led comprehensive peace plan that was widely leaked to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Russia's direction.

This triggered a period of focused negotiations – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

The previous month, Ukraine submitted the US an new proposal – as well as additional documents detailing possible security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky said.