“Declaration of intent” for the deployment of a multinational force, signed by Ukraine with two major European powers / Zelensky indicates “what we really need to solve”

The leaders of France, Great Britain and Ukraine signed a “declaration of intent” in Paris on Tuesday regarding the future deployment of multinational forces in Ukraine as a security guarantee for Kiev after a ceasefire is reached.

The signing of this declaration of intent “opens the way to a legal framework in which (the military) could be deployed to ensure the security” of the Ukrainian territory, said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to News.ro.

France and the United Kingdom will be able to install “military hubs” in Ukraine, Starmer said.

The 35 member countries of the “Coalition of the Will” approved “solid” security guarantees for Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron said, for his part.

“Based on all the work done in recent months, we have strengthened our approach by establishing ceasefire monitoring mechanisms, which will be placed under American leadership,” the French leader announced, “but with contributions from several states that have shown their availability,” he said.

“Security guarantees are the key against a Ukrainian capitulation,” Macron said.

For his part, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that German troops could participate in the multinational force, but outside of Ukraine.

Instead, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that she had informed Ukraine's European allies and US emissaries that she ruled out sending Italian troops on the ground as part of the security guarantees offered to Kiev with the conclusion of a truce with Russia.

“Reaffirming Italy's support for the security of Ukraine, in accordance with what has always been done, the president (of the Council of Ministers, no) Meloni recalled certain key points of the Italian government's position on the issue of guarantees, in particular the exclusion of the use of Italian troops on the ground”, his office stated in a statement, at the end of the Paris meeting of the “Coalition of the Will”.

Change in US position

In a friendlier tone than US President Donald Trump, who had earlier told a long anecdote in Washington mocking Macron, his emissary in Paris, Steve Witkoff, called the French leader “an incredible man”, notes Sky News.

He said, along with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, that he would meet again with the Ukrainian delegation on Tuesday evening and that “they have largely completed the security protocols.”

In addition, Witkoff said the leaders were close to what he described as a “prosperity deal” for Kiev.

“I want to tell you this: We are here to mediate and assist in the peace process, and we are prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. President Trump believes strongly and fervently that these crimes must stop, that the carnage must stop,” Witkoff added.

“I have nothing to add, it was perfectly said,” Kushner also declared.

Answering reporters' questions, President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of the United States in providing security guarantees for Ukraine.

“They are the only ones who have the ability to offer certain guarantees, and all of these are of crucial importance,” Macron said.

But the French leader emphasized that “the last weeks have illustrated a change (in the American position)”. He did not specify what this change consists of.

Zelensky explicitly points to the “territory problem”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the new Paris Declaration as “very concrete”.

“This illustrates the desire of the Coalition and the European countries to work for peace,” said the leader from Kiev.

“We want to be prepared so that when diplomacy reaches peace, we can mobilize the coalition forces to act,” he explained.

Ukraine already has enough details and knows which countries will be involved in the agreement, including what each of them will contribute separately, Zelensky said.

Also, progress was made in the talks with the US delegation in Paris regarding peace monitoring, the Ukrainian president added.

Zelenski said, however, that some issues “remain open,” including the revised 20-point peace plan.

“What we really need to solve is the issue of territory,” he said. “We have a number of ideas that could be useful,” the Ukrainian leader also said.