UK and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine if a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The UK and France have formalized a statement of purpose concerning the positioning of armed personnel in the nation should a ceasefire be struck with Moscow, the British leader, Starmer, has stated.

Following talks with allied nations in the French capital, he noted that the two nations would "create operational bases throughout Ukraine and build secure facilities for military hardware and equipment" to discourage any future invasion.

The allied nations also suggested that the United States would play the primary role in verifying a truce.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet commented on this new declaration.

The Situation and Ongoing Hostilities

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin began a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow currently controls roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory.

"This represents an essential component of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the duration," remarked Starmer.

Heads of state and high-ranking officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in the recent discussions.

He stated at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister added: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could function on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and restoring Ukraine's military for the time to come."

The UK prime minister went on to say that London would take part in any Washington-directed verification of a prospective cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Senior Washington representative Steve Witkoff said that "long-term security guarantees and robust reconstruction vows are vital to a permanent resolution" in Ukraine – alluding to a central condition made by Ukraine.

The negotiator said the coalition had "largely finished" their work on establishing such guarantees "in order that the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends permanently."

Jared Kushner, ex-President Donald Trump's special envoy, also was involved in the negotiations.

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron said that Ukraine's allies had made "significant headway" at the talks.

He said that "strong" security guarantees for Ukraine had been agreed in the instance of a possible ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "major advance" had been made in the talks, but qualified that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they resulted in the cessation of the fighting.

Last week, he said a settlement was "largely prepared". Settling the outstanding 10% would "determine the outcome of the agreement, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for diplomats.
• Putin has often said that Kyiv's military must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will occupy it, rejecting any compromise over how to finish the war.
• The Ukrainian President has to date rejected giving up any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could withdraw its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia does the same.

Russia currently occupies approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk region. The areas form the heartland of the Donbas.

The original US-led 28-point proposal that was widely leaked to the media last year was viewed by Kyiv and its European allies as being heavily skewed in Russia's favor.

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

Recently, Kyiv presented the US an revised 20-point plan – as well as separate documents detailing possible security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, the President said.