The United Kingdom and France Plan to Send Forces to Ukraine if a Ceasefire Accord is Agreed
The British and French governments have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the positioning of military forces in Ukraine if a peace agreement be struck with Moscow, the UK Prime Minister, Starmer, has announced.
Following discussions with Kyiv's partners in Paris, he noted that the allies would "establish military hubs in various parts of Ukraine and build protected facilities for military hardware and military equipment" to prevent any potential attack.
The allied nations also suggested that the America would assume leadership in monitoring a ceasefire.
The Kremlin has on multiple occasions warned that any external forces in Ukraine would be considered a "legitimate target", but has so far not commented on this new development.
Background and Continuing Hostilities
Russian President Vladimir Putin began a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in early 2022, and Moscow currently controls approximately 20% of Ukraine's sovereign soil.
"This is a vital part of our commitment to support Ukraine for the long-term," commented the British leader.
Heads of state and high-ranking officials from the "Allied Coalition" took part in the recent discussions.
Addressing reporters at a combined announcement, Starmer further said: "It paves the way for the juridical structure under which allied and coalition forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, protecting Ukraine's air and maritime domains, and restoring Ukraine's defense capabilities for the future."
The PM went on to say that the UK would participate in any Washington-directed verification of a potential ceasefire.
Protection Pledges and Diplomatic Positions
Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff stated that "durable defense assurances and substantial economic promises are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine – alluding to a key demand made by Kyiv.
The negotiator indicated the allies had "mostly completed" their work on establishing such pledges "to ensure the Ukrainian people know that when this hostilities ends, it ends forever."
The former US envoy, US President Donald Trump's representative, also participated in the negotiations.
At the same time, President Macron Emmanuel Macron declared that Ukraine's partners had made "significant progress" at the negotiations.
He noted that "robust" defense assurances for the Ukrainian government had been reached in the instance of a prospective ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a "significant development" had been made in the talks, but cautioned that he would only deem efforts to be "sufficient" if they resulted in the end of the fighting.
Last week, the Ukrainian leader said a settlement was "largely prepared". Settling the remaining 10% would "decide the future of the agreement, the destiny of Ukraine and Europe".
Remaining Challenges
- Sovereign soil and defense assurances have been at the forefront of key disagreements for negotiators.
- The Russian President has often said that Kyiv's military must pull back from all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas or Russia will occupy it, refusing any concession over how to finish the war.
- Kyiv has so far excluded ceding any land, but has floated the idea that Ukraine could move its forces to an mutually accepted point – but only if Russia reciprocates.
Russia currently controls approximately 75% of the Donetsk region and around 99% of the bordering Luhansk. The two regions form the heartland of Donbas.
The initial US-led 28-point framework that was extensively reported to the media last year was perceived by Ukraine and its partners in Europe as being strongly biased in Russia's direction.
This triggered a period of focused discussions – with the involved parties trying to revise the document.
The previous month, Ukraine sent the US an revised framework – as well as distinct documents detailing possible defense assurances and plans for Ukraine's recovery, he added.