- Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets” and dismissed the idea of foreign peacekeepers even after a peace deal.
- His remarks followed a Paris summit where French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 nations had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including an international “reassurance force.”
- Putin argued that foreign troops would undermine long-term peace and reiterated that security guarantees must apply to both Russia and Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the Western proposal “definitely not acceptable,” framing it as a direct threat to Russia.
- Russia instead points to the Istanbul framework of 2022, under which Ukraine would remain neutral and outside NATO in exchange for international security assurances, including from Moscow.
Putin Says Foreign Troops in Ukraine Would Be ‘Legitimate Targets’
