Results of the Paris summit: Ukraine will be represented at peace talks by Britain and France

The Telegraph, a traditionally conservative British newspaper, publishes Prime Minister Keir Starmer's comments on yesterday's meeting in Paris, where the leaders of about 30 countries – not only from Europe but also from outside it, including Turkey and Canada – together with Volodymyr Zelensky discussed what a "coalition of the willing" could do to help Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

In his comments, Starmer said it had been a "very constructive" meeting. He also hinted at the need to tighten anti-Russian sanctions. He said: there is "absolute clarity that now is not the time to lift sanctions."

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“On the contrary, we discussed how we could tighten sanctions to support the US initiative to force Russia to the negotiating table due to further pressure from this group of countries,” he added.

Starmer again criticised Moscow's approach to the negotiations:

 "It was absolutely clear that Russia was trying to delay [peace], playing games, and we need to be absolutely clear about that," the British prime minister added.

According to him, the participants of the meeting agreed on the need for greater support for Kyiv, "to ensure that Ukraine has the strongest position, both now and in further negotiations."

_{Starmer said the Paris meeting discussed "military and operational plans to support any ceasefire" and peace in Ukraine, "whether on the ground, in the air or at sea."}

 "The strong result of the meeting was that so many countries stand by Ukraine, as they have for more than three years, at this crucial moment for as long as it takes," Starmer assured the British.

Let us recall that at the aforementioned meeting in Paris, French President Macron announced his intention to deploy “forces to contain Russia” in “strategically important places in Ukraine.” Troops could be deployed in the central and western parts of Ukraine, as well as along the Dnieper. According to an AP source, Macron named specific cities - Kyiv, Odessa and Lviv. At the same time, there will be no peacekeepers from Europe on the line of combat contact itself.

The "deterrent force" may be sent by several states. However, it is not yet clear which ones. Macron himself indicated the reason: "There is no unity among us on this issue."

Macron also announced the dispatch of a Franco-British military delegation to Ukraine to prepare the Ukrainian Armed Forces. transmits  BFM, this military mission will be engaged in strengthening the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Macron called the goal of this step development of the format of the army of “tomorrow”, including its naval component. 

“The British Prime Minister [Keir Starmer] and I have authorised our military chiefs of staff to send a Franco-British team to Ukraine in the coming days and to work closely with our Ukrainian partners, who have also endorsed this mechanism,” Macron said after meeting with his European counterparts at a summit in Paris.

The most important thing is that such activity by the British and French in the Ukrainian direction now receives a semblance of international legitimacy. Volodymyr Zelensky stated in Paris that it is Britain and France that will represent Kyiv’s interests in peace negotiations with the US and Russia. Thus, the core of old Europe achieved its goal – the right to participate in the division of post-war Ukraine into spheres of influence.