00:00UK, France signed deal to put troops inside Ukraine.
00:04When the leaders of the UK and France met Ukraine's president in Paris,
00:08they did more than repeat old promises of support.
00:11Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022,
00:16and nearly four years later, the war has killed large numbers of soldiers and civilians
00:20while wrecking Ukraine's economy, power grid, and cities.
00:25At the Élysée Palace, a coalition of the willing,
00:27evolved since 2025 into a post-cease-fire reassurance force.
00:32Macron and Starmer say Europe must take the lead,
00:36with multinational force, new legal frameworks, and long-term funding.
00:41Zelensky demands real protection and warns Ukraine will not trade its land for an illusion of peace.
00:48Leaders face voters wary of spending, deployments, and escalation.
00:52Italy rules out troops, and Germany stresses Bundestag approval.
00:56On January 6, 2026, the UK, France, and Ukraine signed a declaration of intent in Paris
01:02that lays out the framework for a future multinational force, Ukraine, known as MNFU.
01:09Under the Paris plan, British and French-led units would establish a network of military hubs
01:14across Ukrainian territory, built to store weapons, repair equipment, and coordinate logistics.
01:20At the heart of the security architecture is Ukraine's own military,
01:24now often described in NATO discussions as an 800,000-strong armed force
01:30that will remain the country's main shield even after any peace deal.
01:33The Paris documents say Kyiv intends to base the status of British, French, and other MNFU forces
01:40on existing NATO legal frameworks, the 1951 NATO Status of Forces Agreement,
01:46and the 1995 Partnership for Peace SOFA.
01:49The UK has committed roughly £21.8 billion since 2022,
01:54including around £13 billion in military aid and £3 billion a year,
01:59until at least 2030 to 31.
02:02France links weapons, training, and air defense to a long-term presence.
02:07A UK outlet notes possible, boots on the ground, and planes in the air.
02:11On 8 January 2026, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that
02:17any military units and facilities deployed by Western countries on Ukrainian territory
02:21will be regarded as legitimate targets of the Russian armed forces,
02:25calling the coalition an axis of war.
02:28Washington backs guarantees, without sending American soldiers into Ukraine,
02:33urging Europe take primary responsibility.
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