UK and France to Deploy Military Personnel to the Country if a Peace Agreement is Agreed
The British and French governments have inked a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of troops in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be concluded with Moscow, the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated.
Subsequent to talks with allied nations in the French capital, he indicated that the two nations would "set up defense centers throughout Ukraine and build fortified installations for arms and equipment" to deter any subsequent incursion.
The allied nations also proposed that the US would play the primary role in verifying a ceasefire.
The Kremlin has on multiple occasions stated that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this recent development.
Background and Ongoing War
The Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin began a major offensive of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow currently holds roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory.
"This represents an essential component of our pledge to stand with Ukraine for the foreseeable future," remarked the UK Prime Minister.
National leaders and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" took part in Tuesday's talks.
Addressing reporters at a shared media briefing, the Prime Minister noted: "It establishes the framework for the operational parameters under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, defending Ukraine's skies and seas, and rebuilding Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."
The PM added that Britain would take part in any American-headed verification of a potential cessation of hostilities.
Security Guarantees and Negotiation Stances
Lead Washington representative Steve Witkoff stated that "durable safety pledges and strong reconstruction vows are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – mentioning a central requirement made by the Ukrainian government.
Witkoff indicated the coalition had "substantially agreed on" their work on finalizing such guarantees "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."
Jared Kushner, ex-President Donald Trump's representative, also was involved in the negotiations.
Separately, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's supporters had made "considerable progress" at the meeting.
He added that "comprehensive" security guarantees for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the event of a prospective truce.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge advance" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they led to the cessation of the conflict.
Recently, the Ukrainian leader indicated a peace deal was "90% ready". Agreeing on the remaining 10% would "determine the fate of the peace, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".
Unresolved Issues
- Sovereign soil and security guarantees have been at the heart of ongoing disputes for negotiators.
- Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukraine's forces must retreat from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, refusing any compromise over how to finish the war.
- Zelensky has to date excluded ceding any land, but has suggested that Ukraine could move its troops to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia follows suit.
Moscow presently holds about 75% of the Donetsk oblast and around 99% of the adjacent Luhansk region. The two regions form the industrial region of Donbas.
The original US-led 28-point peace plan that was widely leaked to the media last year was seen by Kyiv and its EU supporters as being disproportionately favorable in Moscow's direction.
This sparked a period of high-level discussions – with all sides trying to revise the document.
The previous month, The Ukrainian government submitted the US an revised proposal – as well as separate documents describing possible defense assurances and provisions for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President added.