Putin Alerts Western Forces in Ukraine: Legitimate Military Targets

• Multiple nations pledge to join “reassurance” forces in Ukraine.
• Deploying such forces may hinder long-term peace efforts: Putin.
• He states Moscow will honor agreements if made.

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning Friday that any Western troops stationed in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets for Russian forces. This came a day after Ukraine’s allies announced their commitment to deploying troops if a peace agreement is reached.

Twenty-five countries, led by France and the UK, committed Thursday to forming a “reassurance” unit for land, sea, and air patrols to oversee any deal.

“If foreign troops appear there, especially during active fighting, we see them as legitimate targets,” Putin said during an economic conference in Vladivostok.

He also mentioned that deploying such a force could undermine genuine peace and pointed to Ukraine’s growing military cooperation with Western nations as a key factor behind the conflict’s escalation.

Details of the proposed force, including troop numbers and specific contributions, remain undisclosed. Ukraine insists that security guarantees, supported by Western military presence, are vital for any peace agreement to prevent future Russian offensives.

Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, tens of thousands have been killed, millions displaced, and significant destruction wrought across eastern and southern Ukraine.

Putin expressed that if a peace deal is struck, troops would no longer be necessary.

“If agreements are reached that bring lasting peace, I see no reason for their presence in Ukraine,” he said. “Russia will fully adhere to any such agreements.”

Kyiv and Western nations highlight numerous instances where Russia has violated previous agreements, notably between 2014 and 2022 during fighting with separatists in eastern Ukraine.