Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets by Moscow, but insisted such forces would no longer be necessary if a peace deal were signed.
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Friday, Putin commented on Thursday’s Paris meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” a group of countries providing military support to Kyiv and pledging to send troops after a ceasefire.
“Regarding possible military contingents in Ukraine — if they appear in Ukraine today, they will be a legitimate target for the Russian military,” Putin said.
“If agreements are reached that lead to long-term peace, then I simply see no point in their presence on Ukrainian territory. That’s all. Because if these agreements are reached, no one doubts that Russia will fulfil them in full,” he said.
EU-led plans of security guarantees
The remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries had pledged to provide Ukraine with post-war security guarantees, which could include an international force on land, sea, and in the air.
Russia has repeatedly cited the prospect of NATO expansion — and Kiev’s ambitions to join the alliance — as one of the justifications for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Putin suggested that any foreign military presence would be unnecessary if peace is reached.
“If decisions are reached that lead to long-term peace, then I simply do not see any sense in their presence on the territory of Ukraine, full stop,” he said.
Direct talks with Zelenskyy
Putin also reiterated his invitation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for direct talks, saying Moscow would be the “best place” for such a meeting.
“If someone genuinely wants to meet with us, we are ready. The best place for this is the capital of the Russian Federation, the hero city Moscow,” he said.
According to Putin, Kiev had previously ruled out contact with Russia but is now seeking dialogue.
He pledged “one hundred percent” guarantees for the safety of any Ukrainian delegation, though he dismissed Ukraine’s requests to choose a different meeting location as “excessive.”
The remarks highlight both Moscow’s ongoing threats against Western involvement in Ukraine and its effort to project readiness for negotiations, even as the war grinds on into its third year.
