Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday that any Western military contingent deployed in Ukraine would be considered a “legitimate” target by Moscow’s forces.
“If troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we assume that they will be legitimate targets,” Putin said at an economic forum in Vladivostok, in Russia’s far east.
The Kremlin leader also noted that the deployment of Western troops would not guarantee stability, saying kyiv's increasingly close military ties with the West were among the"root causes" of the conflict.
The president added that if a peace agreement is reached, there would be no need for foreign forces to be present in Ukraine." If decisions are made that lead to peace, to lasting peace, then I simply don't see the point in their presence on Ukrainian territory. Because if agreements are reached, let no one doubt that Russia will fully comply with them ," he declared.
For his part, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reinforced the official position and rejected the proposal for security guarantees pushed in Europe. Speaking to the state news agency RIA Novosti, he said: “Can foreign military contingents, especially European and American ones, provide and guarantee security for Ukraine? Definitely not, they cannot.”
In a later interview with Izvestia, Peskov accused European governments of “obstructing the resolution in Ukraine,” adding: “They are not helping. They are continuing their attempts to turn Ukraine into the center of everything anti-Russian.”
The Russian statements came a day after more than two dozen countries announced a plan to form a"reinsurance force" that, following a possible peace agreement, would have a presence on land, sea, and air in Ukraine. The allies have not yet revealed the number of troops or the contributions of each nation.
The initiative was presented at the Paris summit, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, with the in-person participation of Volodimir Zelensky and the support of European leaders such as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Macron said: “We have 26 countries today that have formally committed—some have not yet taken a position—to deploy troops in Ukraine as a ‘reinsurance force,’ or to be present on land, at sea, or in the air.” He added that these contingents will not be located on the front lines, but will be intended to “prevent any further major aggression.”
Zelensky welcomed the initiative, calling it a historic step. “ For the first time in a long time, this is the first serious concrete step ,” the Ukrainian president said, emphasizing the goal of strengthening his country's defensive capabilities and regenerating the army.
The French president warned that if Moscow continues to reject a peace agreement, “additional sanctions” will be coordinated with the United States. Macron accused Russia of “trying to buy time” while intensifying attacks against civilians.
The European response revealed internal divisions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz maintained that Germany will define its role at the appropriate time, once the framework conditions are clarified. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ruled out sending troops, although she expressed her willingness to collaborate in monitoring a possible pact.
The degree of US involvement also remains unclear. After the summit, President Donald Trump held a video conference with European leaders and said he plans to speak with Putin soon. Washington was represented in Paris by special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president later indicated that his conversation with Trump included additional sanctions against Russia and measures to protect airspace."We discussed different options, and the most important thing is to use strong measures, particularly economic ones, to force an end to the war," he said.
The White House reiterated its call to suspend the purchase of Russian oil, considered one of the main sources of financing for Moscow's offensive.
