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

The British and French governments have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the stationing of military forces in Ukraine should a ceasefire be struck with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has announced.

After negotiations with allied nations in Paris, he noted that the two nations would "establish operational bases across Ukraine and build fortified facilities for weapons and defense matériel" to discourage any future attack.

The partner countries also suggested that the United States would assume leadership in verifying a ceasefire.

Moscow has consistently cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "acceptable aim", but has not yet commented on this recent announcement.

Background and Continuing Conflict

The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin initiated a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in the start of last year, and Russia presently occupies approximately 20% of the country's land.

"This constitutes a crucial element of our commitment to be alongside Ukraine for the long-term," commented Starmer.

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

He stated at a combined announcement, the Prime Minister noted: "It creates the pathway for the legal framework under which allied and coalition forces could function on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's military for the future."

The PM went on to say that London would be involved in any American-headed verification of a potential cessation of hostilities.

Defense Assurances and Diplomatic Positions

Senior American diplomat Steve Witkoff stated that "durable defense assurances and strong reconstruction vows are vital to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – alluding to a major demand made by the Ukrainian government.

The negotiator noted the partner nations had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such guarantees "to ensure the people of Ukraine know that when this war ends, it ends for good."

Donald Trump's son-in-law, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the negotiations.

At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's supporters had made "major headway" at the negotiations.

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

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "major advance" had been made in Paris, but qualified that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the end of the conflict.

Last week, Zelensky suggested a settlement was "mostly finalized". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "shape the future of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe".

Outstanding Matters

• Land and defense assurances have been at the center of key disagreements for the parties involved.
• Putin has repeatedly warned that Kyiv's military must withdraw from the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it, refusing any middle ground over how to finish the war.
• Zelensky has to date ruled out ceding any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could pull back its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same.

Moscow currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The areas form the heartland of Donbas.

The earlier US-led comprehensive framework that was circulated to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its European allies as being strongly biased in Moscow's favor.

This sparked a period of high-level diplomacy – with the involved parties trying to adjust the draft.

Last month, The Ukrainian government sent the US an updated framework – as well as additional documents describing prospective defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's recovery, the President added.