Putin Calls Western Troops in Ukraine 'Legitimate Targets' Following Security Assurances Given After the War

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Key Points

Emmanuel Macron reveals that 26 countries will offer Ukraine security protections post-conflict, covering land, sea, and air.
France and the UK are open to sending troops, while Italy is focusing on training roles and ceasefire oversight.
Vladimir Putin has declared any Western military presence in Ukraine as “legitimate targets”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any deployment of Western troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Russian forces, a caution aimed at Kyiv’s allies amidst ongoing discussions about future security arrangements.

Russia has consistently maintained that one of its motivations for the conflict in Ukraine is preventing NATO from integrating Kyiv and deploying its forces there.

“Thus, if military personnel appear there, particularly during current hostilities, we assume that they will be legitimate targets,” Putin stated at an economic forum in Vladivostok on Friday.

“Moreover, if agreements are made that lead to enduring peace, their presence in Ukraine would be pointless, period,” he added.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a coalition of 26 nations has committed to offering post-war security assurances to Ukraine, incorporating international forces by land, sea, and air, following a summit of Ukraine’s allies.

Macron, along with other European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, engaged in discussions with US President Donald Trump after their summit, with details about US involvement in these assurances expected soon.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris shaking hands

French President Emmanuel Macron (left) has pledged enhanced European security support for Ukraine beyond the conflict. Source: Getty / Mustafa Yalcin

The meeting of 35 leaders from the “coalition of the willing” — of mainly European countries — was intended to finalise security guarantees and ask Trump for the backing Europeans say is vital to make such guarantees viable.

Security guarantees are intended to reassure Ukraine and deter Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, from attacking its neighbour again.

“The day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed,” Macron told a press conference at the Élysée Palace in Paris, standing alongside Zelenskyy.

European representatives acknowledge that peace appears distant at present but aim to be prepared when the conflict concludes. They also wish to assure Ukraine of their solidarity, hoping for US collaboration in their initiatives.

Macron initially said the 26 nations — which he did not name — would deploy to Ukraine. But he later said some countries would provide guarantees while remaining outside Ukraine, for example, by helping to train and equip Ukraine’s forces.

He did not say how many troops would be involved in the guarantees.

‘Very specific substance’

Germany and other nations have committed to participating in this endeavor, with Germany clarifying that any military commitment will depend on clear conditions, including details of US participation in security guarantees.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made clear she would not send troops to Ukraine, but said Italy was open to monitoring a ceasefire and training Ukrainian troops outside the country.

France and the United Kingdom, which co-chair the coalition of the willing, have indicated they are open to deploying troops to Ukraine after the war ends.

“We are working out which countries will take part in which security component,” Zelenskyy said.

“The agreement among 26 countries to offer security assurances is unprecedentedly specific and substantial,” noted Macron.

Trump pressures European leaders over Russian oil

On his call with the coalition leaders, Trump said Europe must stop buying Russian oil that he said is helping Russia fund its war against Ukraine, a White House official said.

“The president also emphasised that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official said.

Macron also stated that coalition members and the US have agreed to collaborate more closely on future sanctions, particularly targeting Russia’s energy sector, and regarding China.

European governments have said European forces in Ukraine would need their own US security guarantees as a “backstop”. Trump has made no explicit commitment to go that far.

His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with senior diplomats from France, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Ukraine ahead of the summit, before attending the opening session briefly.