Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine would be regarded as “legitimate targets” for Russian strikes.
The warning came as he addressed the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, where he doubled down on Moscow’s position that Western involvement in Ukraine risks direct confrontation.
Putin said: “If any troops appear there, especially now, during military operations, we proceed from the fact that these will be legitimate targets for their destruction.”
The remarks follow a declaration by 26 countries, known as the “coalition of the willing,” who announced in Paris this week that they would commit troops to Ukraine for post-war security guarantees.
The initiative, which is still under discussion, is aimed at providing Kyiv with long-term defence assurances once the fighting ends. Western leaders insist it is a contingency for peace, not an escalation of the war.
Putin, however, framed the move as provocative, suggesting that foreign forces would blur the line between support for Ukraine and direct military engagement with Russia.
He insisted there would be “no reason” for such deployments if a peace settlement were reached, and claimed Moscow would abide by any agreement designed to end the conflict.
Western governments have expressed scepticism at such assurances, pointing out that Russia has already violated international treaties, including the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which guaranteed Ukraine’s sovereignty in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons.
Moscow broke that agreement in 2014 by annexing Crimea, and again in 2022 with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Both moves triggered widespread condemnation and sweeping sanctions against Russia.
Analysts say Putin’s latest comments are part of a wider strategy to dissuade Western countries from deepening their commitments to Ukraine’s security.
“By threatening any future foreign troop presence, Putin is trying to deter NATO and its partners from making long-term plans for Ukraine’s stability,” said Dr. Emily Ferris, a Russia analyst at the Royal United Services Institute.
Kyiv has repeatedly urged its allies to commit to long-term security guarantees, arguing that without them, Russia will regroup and strike again even if the current fighting stops.
For now, the focus in Paris remains on developing frameworks that can reassure Ukraine while avoiding direct conflict between NATO states and Russia.
Putin’s intervention underscores the risks of escalation, even as diplomatic efforts continue to explore ways to end Europe’s bloodiest conflict in decades.
