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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Britain and France had signed a statement of intent to deploy troops to Ukraine if a peace deal with Russia was reached.
After talks with Ukrainian allies in Paris, he said Britain and France would “establish military centers across Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons and military equipment” to deter future invasions.
The allies also proposed that the United States take the lead in monitoring the ceasefire.
Russia has repeatedly warned that any foreign troops stationed in Ukraine would be “legitimate targets” but has yet to comment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukraine’s territory.
Heads of state and senior officials from the “Coalition of the Willing” took part in talks in the French capital on Tuesday.
Starmer told a joint press conference after the meeting: “We have signed a statement of intention to deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.
“This is an important part of our long-term commitment to stand with Ukraine.
“It paves the way for British, French and partner forces to operate on Ukrainian soil, secure Ukraine’s skies and seas, and rebuild the legal framework for the future of Ukraine’s armed forces.”
The British Prime Minister added that London would be involved in any US-led verification of any potential ceasefire.
Senior U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff said “enduring security guarantees and strong prosperity commitments are critical to a lasting peace in Ukraine” – referring to a key demand made by Kyiv.
Vitkov said the allies were “essentially done” in agreeing on such guarantees “so that the Ukrainian people know that when this (war) is over, it is over for good.”
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner also participated in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said Ukraine’s allies had made “considerable progress” in talks.
He said “strong” security guarantees in Kiev had been agreed if a ceasefire was possible.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Paris meeting had taken a “huge step” but added that he would only consider the efforts “sufficient” if they ultimately led to an end to the war.
last week, Zelensky says peace deal ‘90% ready’. Agreement on the remaining 10% will “determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe.”
Territory and security have been the top unresolved issues for negotiators.
Putin has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw all troops from Donbas in eastern Ukraine, otherwise Russia will seize the area. Refuse to make any compromise on how to end the war.
Zelensky has so far ruled out ceding any territory but has suggested Ukraine could withdraw its troops to agreed locations, but only if Russia does the same.
Moscow currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region and about 99% of the neighboring Lugansk region. These two regions make up the industrial zone of Donbass.
The U.S.-led 28-point peace plan, widely leaked to the media last year, was initially viewed by Kyiv and its European allies as heavily tilted toward Russia.
That set off weeks of intense high-level diplomacy as Ukrainian, U.S. and European leaders tried to revise the draft.
Zelensky said that last month, Kyiv sent the United States an updated 20-point plan, as well as a separate document outlining potential security guarantees and terms for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
