The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Troops to Ukraine in the event that a Ceasefire Accord is Reached

The UK and France have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in Ukraine should a ceasefire be struck with Moscow, the British leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.

After negotiations with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he noted that the allies would "set up operational bases across Ukraine and construct fortified structures for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any future incursion.

The allied nations also put forward that the America would assume leadership in monitoring a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has on multiple occasions cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has as yet not responded on this recent declaration.

Context and Ongoing War

Moscow's leader Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Moscow presently holds approximately 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.

"This is a vital part of our pledge to support Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked the British leader.

Top officials and top officials from the "Allied Coalition" participated in Tuesday's talks.

Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, he further said: "It paves the way for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could operate on the ground in Ukraine, defending Ukraine's airspace and waters, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."

The PM added that the UK would be involved in any US-led monitoring of a possible ceasefire.

Defense Assurances and Negotiation Stances

Senior US negotiator Steve Witkoff said that "lasting security guarantees and robust reconstruction vows are critical to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – mentioning a major requirement made by Kyiv.

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

The former US envoy, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, also took part in the talks.

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

He noted that "strong" safety pledges for the Ukrainian government had been settled upon in the instance of a prospective truce.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "significant development" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only view efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the cessation of the conflict.

Last week, he said a settlement was "mostly finalized". Finalizing the remaining 10% would "determine the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe".

Remaining Challenges

• Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the center of unresolved issues for the parties involved.
• The Russian President has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must pull back from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, rejecting any compromise over how to end the war.
• Zelensky has so far rejected surrendering any territory, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could move its forces to an designated point – but only if Russia follows suit.

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

The initial US-led 28-point proposal that was circulated to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being strongly biased in Russia's favor.

This sparked a period of intensive negotiations – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

The previous month, Ukraine sent the US an new proposal – as well as additional documents outlining possible defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, Zelensky added.