 "UK and France agree to deploy troops in Ukraine after ceasefire with Russia")
The UK and France have signed a declaration of intent stating that they would deploy troops in Ukraine after the country reaches a ceasefire with Russia.
The development followed Ukraine’s discussions with its allies in Paris, where the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the two countries would “establish military hubs across Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons and military equipment” to deter any future invasions.
Kyiv’s allies also agreed that the US would monitor the on-ground situation after a ceasefire is imposed.
“We signed a declaration of intent on the deployment of forces to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. This is a vital part of our commitment to stand with Ukraine for the long-term,” Starmer said.
He added, “It paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French, and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine’s skies and seas, and regenerating Ukraine’s armed forces for the future.”
What would the plan include?
The UK PM said that under the declaration, London and Paris would establish “military hubs” across Ukraine after a ceasefire and “build protected facilities for weapons and military equipment to support Ukraine’s defensive needs”.
But he warned: “We can only get to a peace deal if Putin is ready to make compromises. And so we have to be frank, for all Russia’s words, Putin is not showing that he is ready for peace. Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen the opposite.”
Coalition of the Willing meeting
Following the largest meeting yet of the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Paris, both European leaders and US envoys hailed progress that masked tensions in recent days over the assertive US foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere under President Donald Trump.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said Ukrainian and American officials would continue talks on Wednesday, with Zelensky thanking Washington “for its readiness to provide a backstop in all areas”.
The “robust” guarantees would see the United States lead a truce monitoring mechanism with European participation, French President Emmanuel Macron said after Tuesday’s talks that gathered representatives of 35 countries, including 27 heads of state or government.
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