Putin Warns Western Troops in Ukraine Would Be Legitimate Targets

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia – Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any deployment of foreign troops to Ukraine as part of Western-backed security guarantees would be treated as a “legitimate target” by Russian forces, rejecting international efforts to shore up post-war security in the region.

The statement, delivered Friday during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, comes after 26 countries pledged to provide troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement with Russia, a plan proposed at a summit in Paris the day prior.

“If some troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we proceed from the premise that they will be legitimate targets,” Putin said. He added that any foreign military presence would undermine, not support, long-term peace efforts.

Putin insisted that Ukraine’s growing military alignment with the West remains one of the “root causes” of the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. “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 said.

The summit of what has been dubbed a “coalition of the willing” saw several NATO and EU member states agree to send troops to Ukraine to deter future Russian aggression—particularly if peace is brokered through ongoing diplomatic efforts, including those reportedly being pursued by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

However, questions remain over the level of U.S. participation. While some Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, were physically present at the Paris summit, others, such as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, joined remotely. Trump, who has opened direct communication channels with Moscow, has previously said the U.S. would not commit ground troops but might offer other forms of military support, such as air power.

Speaking after the summit, Trump confirmed he would be speaking with Putin soon. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that such a call could be arranged “quickly” if needed.

Peskov also sharply criticized the Paris proposal, calling it “definitely not acceptable.” He said any deployment of international or NATO troops near Russia’s borders would be seen as a direct threat. Instead, he pointed to the 2022 Istanbul peace framework, in which Ukraine would agree to a neutral, non-nuclear status and forgo NATO membership, in exchange for security assurances from major powers including Russia, the U.S., China, the UK, and France.

While the Kremlin continues to reference the Istanbul framework, Western leaders have highlighted Russia’s repeated violations of past agreements, particularly between 2014 and 2022, when Moscow-backed separatists fought Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.

Under the Paris summit’s proposal, a “reassurance force” would patrol Ukrainian territory to enforce any post-conflict agreement. The plan is seen by some as a response to mounting concerns over Trump’s stance on the war and fears that a second Trump presidency could embolden the Kremlin.

Putin reiterated that any future security arrangement must account for Russia’s interests, not just Ukraine’s. “I repeat once again, of course, Russia will implement these agreements. But, in any case, no one has discussed this with us at a serious level yet,” he said.