Declaration of Intent in Support of Ukraine

Declaration of intent between the United Kingdom, the French Republic and Ukraine relating to the deployment in support of defence.

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Declaration of intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The French Republic and Ukraine relating to the deployment of multinational forces in support of the defence, reconstruction and strategic sustainability of Ukraine.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the French Republic and Ukraine (hereinafter referred to individually as a “Signatory” and collectively as the “Signatories”)

Recognising that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the French Republic take a leading role in building a coalition of willing nations, including the “Multinational Force – Ukraine” (MNF-U), to set stable conditions for an enduring peace and Ukrainian sovereignty once a ceasefire in the armed conflict caused by Russian Federation against Ukraine has been agreed;

Recognising that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the French Republic reaffirm their commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, as well as to Ukraine’s irreversible pathway to Euro-Atlantic integration;

Recognising that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the French Republic intend to use military, economic and diplomatic instruments to ensure the conclusion of a peace agreement that will strengthen Ukraine’s position, guarantee Ukraine’s security, sovereignty and its Euro-Atlantic direction;

Recognising that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the French Republic take a leading role in supporting the development of Ukraine’s defence capabilities, which encompasses the restoration, regeneration and training of the security and defence forces of Ukraine, as well as the strengthening of the defence-industrial potential, seeking to implement key elements of multilateral cooperation, primarily through the deployment of the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the French Republic and other contributing nations, as part of the MNF-U on the territory of Ukraine as well as through other forms of military support;

Recognising that the Signatories intend to expand their military, technical and logistical cooperation, by creating military hubs in order to support the MNF-U, ensuring favorable conditions for training and restoration of the security and defence forces of Ukraine.

Recognising that Ukraine intends to create a legal and institutional framework for the presence of the MNF-U on the territory of Ukraine based on the privileges and immunities granted by the Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their Armed Forces (NATO SOFA), signed in London on 19 June 1951, and the Agreement among the States parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other States participating in the Partnership for Peace regarding the status of their armed forces (PfP SOFA) and the Additional Protocol to the PfP SOFA concluded in Brussels on 19 June 1995, including by the conclusion of an international agreement and such other arrangements as are necessary with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the French Republic and other nations that have expressed a desire to join the MNF-U, by entering into the international agreement;

Whereas the Signatories recognise this Declaration of Intent as a request by Ukraine for military assistance to support the security and defence forces of Ukraine in preventing an armed aggression by third countries, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the French Republic and Ukraine intend to:

1. Deploy units of the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the French Republic, together with units of the armed forces of contributing nations of the MNF-U, on the territory of Ukraine in all domains to support Ukraine’s capabilities to deter third countries from carrying out further attacks on Ukraine’s territory.
2. Involve the MNF-U in the conduct of deterrence operations in the air, on land and at sea, and the conduct of training, planning, comprehensive recovery and regeneration of forces, integration of command and control systems, as well as other jointly defined operational requirements. Within this framework, Ukraine will grant the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the French Republic and all other nations contributing to the MNF-U the right to use the necessary means, including the use of force, to fulfill the mission of the MNF-U and to protect the personnel, equipment, and infrastructures of the MNF-U and Ukraine, in accordance with international law and in coordination with the security and defence forces of Ukraine.
3. Ensure that all actions regarding the deployment of the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the French Republic and nations contributing to the MNF-U, their movements, support and the conduct of any operations shall take place under strict control and management of the MNF-U joint operations staff, being subject to compulsory coordination with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
4. Promote the construction, protection and use of protected facilities and structures for the location of materiel, weapons, military equipment, strategic reserves and the conduct of logistical operations in accordance with agreed operational needs and in support of the defence capability and resilience of Ukraine.
5. Initiate the creation of a negotiating group that will ensure the development and conclusion, as soon as possible, of an international agreement and such other arrangements as are necessary that will regulate as needed mutual obligations of the Signatories, legal status of personnel, equipment, materiel and technical resources, weapons, military equipment and other assets of the French Republic, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and other contributing nations to the MNF-U on the territory of Ukraine.
6. Promote the participation of other nations in the MNF-U including through the means of accession provided for in the international agreement and such other arrangements as are necessary.
7. Support Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration through enhancement of interoperability, experience sharing, and the development of equipment, doctrine and standards according to NATO standards.
8. Ensure the exchange of information and the functioning of reliable verification and control mechanisms related to the deployment of units of the armed forces of contributing nations to the MNF-U, as well as maintain transparency, accountability and full coordination with the authorised bodies of the Ukrainian authorities.
9. Cooperate in accordance with international law, respect for human rights and anti-corruption standards, as reflected in other international agreements whose participants are the Signatories.

This Declaration of Intent reflects the shared vision of the Signatories and may be updated or supplemented by mutual consent.

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