Putin said any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine during ongoing fighting would be treated as “legitimate targets,” dismissing Western proposals for peacekeeping forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Friday that any foreign troops sent to Ukraine while fighting continues would be considered “legitimate targets” by Moscow’s forces. His comments came hours after European leaders renewed discussions on deploying a peacekeeping force as part of post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.
“If any troops appear there, especially now while fighting is ongoing, we assume that they will be legitimate targets,” Putin said during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. He dismissed the idea that peacekeepers would be needed to enforce a ceasefire, insisting Russia would honor any agreement.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said any security guarantees would require “legally binding documents.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested thousands of Western troops could be involved in security arrangements after a deal to end the war.
This comes as Russian forces launched overnight drone and missile strikes, damaging residential buildings in Dnipro and leaving several Ukrainian settlements without power.