Putin says western forces deployed to Ukraine would be ‘legitimate targets’

“Therefore, if some troops appear there, especially now, during military operations, we proceed from the fact that these will be legitimate targets for destruction,” Putin said at an economic forum in Vladivostok, according to Reuters.

“And if decisions are reached that lead to peace, to long-term peace, then I simply do not see any sense in their presence on the territory of Ukraine, full stop,” he added.

The warning from the Kremlin leader came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that 26 countries are ready to send their service members or contribute in other ways as part of a security guarantees plan for postwar Ukraine.

Italy, Poland and Germany are among Ukraine’s “security guarantors,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated Thursday, standing alongside Macron.

Russia has repeatedly shot down the idea of having a potential Western-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Putin rebuffed the idea of troops stationed in Ukraine after the two sides reach a potential peace deal, claiming Moscow would abide by the treaty to end the invasion, which has been ongoing since February 2022.

Ukraine is looking for support among Western allies to shield it from another potential invasion by Russia. The United Kingdom, France and Estonia have signaled willingness to send troops in.

President Donald Trump, who has pushed to end the three-and-a-half-year conflict in Eastern Europe, ruled out having U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, but has signaled openness to providing some form of air support for Kyiv.

Trump and Zelensky talked about “maximum protection” for Ukraine’s skies during a call Thursday, according to Ukraine’s leader.

“We also spoke about maximum protection for Ukraine’s skies. Until peace comes, Ukrainians must not be at the mercy of constant Russian attacks,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on social media.

Trump has pushed to arrange a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, particularly after meeting separately with both leaders in-person last month.

The Russian leader again questioned the purpose of such a huddle Friday, claiming “it will be practically impossible to reach an agreement with the Ukrainian side on key issues.”

Earlier this week, Putin did offer to meet with Zelensky in Moscow. He added Friday that the Kremlin is prepared for a summit with the Ukrainian president in Russia’s capital, arguing he would outline “working conditions and security” during the sit-down.

“But if they tell us. ‘We want to meet with you, but you have to go somewhere else for this meeting’, it seems to me that these are simply excessive requests on us,” Putin said.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued with its aerial attacks on Ukraine, launching dozens of drones and seven missiles overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force.