Britain and France Plan to Send Forces to the Country if a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The London and Paris have formalized a statement of purpose concerning the deployment of military forces in Ukraine should a peace agreement be made with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has declared.

After negotiations with Kyiv's partners in the French capital, he indicated that the two nations would "establish operational bases across Ukraine and construct fortified structures for weapons and defense matériel" to prevent any potential attack.

The coalition members also suggested that the United States would play the primary role in verifying a ceasefire.

Russia has repeatedly cautioned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "valid objective", but has not yet commented on this latest development.

Context and Ongoing Conflict

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

"This constitutes a crucial element of our vow to support Ukraine for the long-term," commented Starmer.

Top officials and senior officials from the "Allied Coalition" were involved in Tuesday's talks.

Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, he added: "It creates the pathway for the operational parameters under which British, French, and partner forces could function on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine's defense capabilities for the time to come."

The PM also stated that London would participate in any US-led verification of a potential ceasefire.

Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions

Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "long-term defense assurances and robust reconstruction vows are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a central requirement made by Ukraine.

Witkoff indicated the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on establishing such assurances "so that the people of Ukraine know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good."

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

Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable headway" at the meeting.

He added that "strong" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the case of a potential ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "significant step forward" had been made in the talks, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "adequate" if they culminated in the end of the conflict.

Earlier, Zelensky said a settlement was "largely prepared". Finalizing the outstanding 10% would "determine the outcome of peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Unresolved Issues

• Land and defense assurances have been at the heart of unresolved issues for negotiators.
• The Russian President has consistently stated that Ukrainian troops must retreat from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will take control, rejecting any concession over how to conclude the war.
• Kyiv has so far excluded surrendering any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an agreed point – but only if Russia reciprocates.

Moscow currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region and around 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 Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's favor.

This triggered weeks of intensive discussions – with all sides trying to adjust the document.

The previous month, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an updated proposal – as well as separate documents detailing possible defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's recovery, he stated.