🔗 Share this article The United Kingdom and France Will Dispatch Troops to Ukraine should a Ceasefire Accord is Reached The UK and France have signed a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of troops in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be struck with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has declared. Following negotiations with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he said that the UK and France would "set up operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and build secure structures for military hardware and equipment" to prevent any potential incursion. The allied nations also put forward that the US would play the primary role in verifying a ceasefire. The Kremlin has repeatedly cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this recent declaration. Context and Ongoing Conflict Russian President Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces currently controls roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil. "This represents an essential component of our vow to support Ukraine for the duration," commented the British leader. National leaders and senior officials from the "Partner Group" took part in Tuesday's talks. Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, Starmer added: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future." The PM added that the UK would participate in any US-led verification of a possible truce. Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting security guarantees and substantial reconstruction vows are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a major requirement made by Kyiv. The negotiator indicated the allies had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such pledges "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good." Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's representative, also took part in the negotiations. Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable progress" at the talks. He noted that "robust" defense assurances for Kyiv had been reached in the instance of a possible truce. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only view efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the conclusion of the conflict. Earlier, he said a peace deal was "90% ready". Agreeing on the last 10% would "shape the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe". Remaining Challenges Land and security guarantees have been at the center of ongoing disputes for negotiators. Moscow has often said that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will take control, refusing any concession over how to end the war. The Ukrainian President has so far excluded giving up any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same. Russian forces presently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The areas form the area of the Donbas. The initial US-led multi-point peace plan that was extensively reported to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Moscow's direction. This triggered a period of high-level discussions – with the involved parties trying to adjust the proposal. Recently, Ukraine sent the US an new framework – as well as separate documents describing prospective security guarantees and plans for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President said.
The UK and France have signed a declaration of intent concerning the positioning of troops in Ukraine in the event a peace deal be struck with Russia, the Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, has declared. Following negotiations with Ukraine's allies in the French capital, he said that the UK and France would "set up operational bases in various parts of Ukraine and build secure structures for military hardware and equipment" to prevent any potential incursion. The allied nations also put forward that the US would play the primary role in verifying a ceasefire. The Kremlin has repeatedly cautioned that any non-Ukrainian military in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has not yet commented on this recent declaration. Context and Ongoing Conflict Russian President Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Russian forces currently controls roughly 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil. "This represents an essential component of our vow to support Ukraine for the duration," commented the British leader. National leaders and senior officials from the "Partner Group" took part in Tuesday's talks. Addressing reporters at a joint press conference, Starmer added: "It creates the pathway for the juridical structure under which British, French, and partner forces could work on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine's airspace and waters, and regenerating Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future." The PM added that the UK would participate in any US-led verification of a possible truce. Protection Pledges and Negotiation Stances Lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff remarked that "lasting security guarantees and substantial reconstruction vows are vital to a enduring ceasefire" in Ukraine – alluding to a major requirement made by Kyiv. The negotiator indicated the allies had "largely finished" their work on finalizing such pledges "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends for good." Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's representative, also took part in the negotiations. Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's allies had made "considerable progress" at the talks. He noted that "robust" defense assurances for Kyiv had been reached in the instance of a possible truce. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "huge step forward" had been made in the negotiations, but qualified that he would only view efforts to be "sufficient" if they culminated in the conclusion of the conflict. Earlier, he said a peace deal was "90% ready". Agreeing on the last 10% would "shape the outcome of the peace, the future of Ukraine and Europe". Remaining Challenges Land and security guarantees have been at the center of ongoing disputes for negotiators. Moscow has often said that Ukraine's forces must withdraw from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will take control, refusing any concession over how to end the war. The Ukrainian President has so far excluded giving up any territory, but has proposed that Ukraine could pull back its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia does the same. Russian forces presently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk oblast and some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region. The areas form the area of the Donbas. The initial US-led multi-point peace plan that was extensively reported to the media last year was perceived by Kyiv and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Moscow's direction. This triggered a period of high-level discussions – with the involved parties trying to adjust the proposal. Recently, Ukraine sent the US an new framework – as well as separate documents describing prospective security guarantees and plans for Ukraine's rebuilding, the President said.