UK and France to send troops to Ukraine if peace deal agreed

The UK and France have signed a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal is made with Russia, the BBC reported citing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

After talks with Ukraine's allies in Paris, Starmer said the UK and France would "establish military hubs across Ukraine" to deter future invasion, while French President Emmanuel Macron later said thousands of troops may be deployed, according to the BBC.

Allies also largely agreed robust security guarantees for Ukraine and proposed that the US would take the lead in monitoring a truce.

But the key issue of territory is still being discussed, according to the report.

Russia has repeatedly warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be a "legitimate target".

Heads of state and top officials from the "Coalition of the Willing" took part in Tuesday's talks in Paris.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, Starmer said: "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.

"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."

The UK prime minister added London would participate in any US-led verification of a potential ceasefire.

Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff said "durable security guarantees and robust prosperity commitments are essential to a lasting peace" in Ukraine - referring to a key demand made by Kyiv.

Witkoff said the allies "largely finished" their work on agreeing security protocols "so that people of Ukraine know that when this [war] ends, it ends forever".

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's special envoy and son-in-law, said that after a deal Ukrainians needed to know that "real backstops" were in place to ensure war would "not happen again".

Meanwhile, French President Macron said Ukraine's allies had made "considerable progress" at the talks.

He said "robust" security guarantees for Kyiv had been agreed in the event of a potential ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a "huge step forward" had been made in Paris, but added that he would only consider efforts to be "enough" if they resulted in the end of the war.