MBABANE:The United Kingdom (UK) and France have signed a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal is made with Russia, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced as reported by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) this week.
It has been reported that, after talks with Ukraine’s allies in Paris, 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.
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.
Russia has repeatedly warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target".
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Getty Images).